A word to moms

Mommy-hood can be so hard.  It's not something you're given a manual for when they're born. (And you would need a different one for each child!) You're flying by the seat of your pants!!  For the most part, you're modeling what you've seen.  You may even look at moms just ahead of you to see how they're doing things so you can emulate them.  You might even look for examples in the Bible for what to do or what not to do!  (Re: Rebecca and her favoritism towards one child.)  Or you might just compare yourself to those walking beside you to see how well you're doing.

Don't compare.  You end up becoming jealous, prideful or despondent.  Facebook can spawn jealousy. I thought of that when everyone was posting "back to school" pics.  Most families looked like they had it all together.  What about those moms who couldn't afford new clothes for their kids?  (You do know that we all present our very best on Facebook, right??)  Pinterest (which I love) can create insecurities.  It appears so many moms are doing adorable projects with their kids.  And you may have to duct tape a kid to the wall just to have a moment of sanity.  (JK!  kind of...)

Don't try to please anyone but God.  I made the mistake of trying to please a person who could never be pleased.  I wanted them to be proud of my parenting...at the expense of my children.  When your focus is on trying to please someone else, you've lost focus on the most important thing.  You're always looking over your shoulder to see if you've gained approval instead of concentrating on meeting the needs of your child.

If you're focused on pleasing only God and training and loving the precious kids you've got for such a short time, it's not going to look like anyone else's life.  I love visiting my kids.  All four of them were raised pretty much the same way under my roof and yet no two are rearing their children the same way.  God is so creative, He can have a different plan for each family!  (And can I tell you I have the 10 most perfect grandchildren ever???)

Relax and enjoy!!  That's my advice for today.  Don't compare.  Just please God...and love those kids!  (And no duct taping...seriously.)