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Home » motivation » 4 Ways My Mom Taught Me to Find Balance in Motherhood

4 Ways My Mom Taught Me to Find Balance in Motherhood

Trying to find balance in motherhood is a hot topic these days-trying to find balance between our personal goals and dreams and the needs of our families. I know it’s popular to say “super mom does not exist,” but my response to that is, you haven’t met my mom!

She was super mom in my eyes, but not for being perfectly dressed, a gourmet cook, or keeping a spotless home. (She really did keep the house pretty clean, though.) She was super mom for teaching me how to find balance in motherhood.

Getting a lot of time with my mom was like a college course in parenting. I am able to be joyful and at peace with being a mom because she taught me valuable lessons for finding balance as a mom.

Shari’s Berries sent products to my mother in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 
Please view my disclosure.
Have you found balance as a mom? These tips are what my mom taught me when she was a full time mom and a part time nurse working nights. She was super mom but not because she was perfect-for the lessons she taught me. about finding balance as a mom.

4 Ways My Mom Taught Me about Balance

My mom taught responsibility

My mom wanted to be present with us, to be able to watch over us, teach lessons when we needed to learn them, and to keep us safe before we were at an age to be independent. She took responsibility for her priority to care for her children. She wanted to only stay home, but worked part time (midnight shift, 11pm to 7am) as a nurse because the family budget needed supplemental income.

She did not sacrifice her time with us at home. She gave up sleep. Her “me time” was trying to sneak in a nap after working all night.

She taught my brother and me that we were loved and valuable by being present for us no matter how tired she was. She needed more sleep, or felt like she did, but she got by with what she needed to do to care for her family. She taught us responsibility because she sacrificed to care for us.

I learned that being a responsible mom often means sacrificing.

She taught respect

When we misbehaved, she acted as a responsible parent and taught us valuable lessons in those moments. She wanted to be an effective mom even if that meant she was not always popular with my brother and me!

Her goal was not to be liked by her children, but to teach us to be responsible adults. Of course, we loved her and liked her for being willing to set boundaries and enforce them-even with the tough choices as a mom.

I learned that being a mom often requires patience and perseverance to hold our ground in order to teach our children to be respectful.

She taught me realistic motherhood

When we get a lot of time with our mothers, we get to see the ups and downs of being a mom. We see the good moments, the bad, the lovely and the challenging.

I saw my mom push through exhaustion after working her night shift as a nurse. She never got the recommended amount of sleep the “experts” say we need. She was strong. I saw her be real. She did not care if she was in sweats all day, or did not get her makeup put on, she did not let magazine photos dictate her motherhood goals.

I learned that motherhood is not always put-together or perfect.

She taught me to sacrifice

Me time is the popular phrase of motherhood these days. We are told we must have it. Many of us feel like we need it more than we get it.

My mom did not regularly go out with friends, or go on long shopping trips, or get her nails done. She prioritized home, children and family.

I never heard her say, “I need some time to myself.” 

I never heard her say, “What about my time?” 

She just was mom and wife and made up her mind to be happy.

I learned joy in motherhood is not about getting what I want. Joy as a  mom is focusing on being happy for the time I get to spend with those I love and who love me most.

Shari’s Berries sent my mom some yummy treats so I could celebrate her this Mother’s Day.

My mom and dad were able to indulge a bit. They said the dipped strawberries from Shari’s Berries were delicious!

My children and I did a video chat with my parents to wish my mom a happy Mother’s Day when they received the treats from Shari’s Berries. We live on the opposite side of the country from them, so we could not be together to share.

Being a military family, we are often away from family on important days. To be able to connect over the internet is so helpful. We just wish we could have shared some of those yummy treats!

The best part of my relationship with my mom is, no matter how many miles are between us, she knows exactly what I am feeling in any parenting situation because she has been there.

She teaches me that the choice to be happy is valuable, can lead to contentment in this season of life and does not hold us back from accomplishing our goals in life.

I often hear her say:

“This too shall pass,” 

“They won’t be little forever,” 

“Just think about how much sleep you’ll get when they are teenagers.” 

Recently she even said, “Remember that your first priority right now is being a mom.”

She is right.

My mom was her own version of super mom. She set her priorities, did not whine about the challenges and never gave up.

Being a mom is hard work. I need to remember that the time will pass. That means pending it with those on whose lives I have the greatest impact is a version of paying it forward.

Thank you mom for all of the great lessons you did not even know you were teaching me. Happy Mother’s Day!

To view all of the chocolate covered berries, chocolate treats and gift sets, check out the Shari’s Berries website.

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May 10, 2015 by Jaimi Erickson 11 Comments Filed Under: motivation Tagged With: balance, balance in motherhood, encouragement, Mother's Day, Shari's Berries, sleep deprivation, sponsored

Comments

  1. Lisa Brown says

    October 21, 2015 at 2:06 pm

    Motherhood is a calling to serve and put our families first. I appreciate how you acknowledge that this is hard work. I love how you had a wonderful mom who set a good example for you. My mom is amazing too. She enjoyed parenting and her focus with on us. I truly believe that if we have fun with our kids, we will not have to worry about having a me time. It takes creativity to find me time in the midst of play time with kids. Our kids are with us for a short time and then we will have all the time in the world to do other things that we are interested in. Thanks for the encouragement. I have to confess, this post was a bit convicting, In a good way. I feel like I need to change my perspective on some things. Great post.

    Reply
    • Jaimi says

      October 23, 2015 at 10:44 pm

      As Christians, I think we can help each other by illuminating where we still need to improve. I am grateful for trusted family and friends, and Christian writers who open my eyes to areas of my life where I need to be walking closer to Jesus’ footsteps. We all have those areas in our lives. I think it is a day-to-day work-in-progress for me. Hooray for great moms! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar says

    May 12, 2015 at 8:55 pm

    Awe! Your mom is amazing! This is a wonderful post 🙂

    Reply
    • Jaimi says

      May 13, 2015 at 6:38 pm

      Thanks you, Erin! It meant a lot to me to write it and share it. She's a great example of how strong we moms are!

      Reply
  3. Brandyn Blaze says

    May 12, 2015 at 12:30 am

    What wonderful lessons!! You're lucky to have had such an amazing mom to lead the way for you!

    Thank you for sharing with us at #MommyMeetupMondays!

    Reply
    • Jaimi says

      May 13, 2015 at 6:38 pm

      Thanks for stopping by! My mom was and is a huge blessing on my life. I am do grateful to have her example.

      Reply
  4. Melissa Matters says

    May 10, 2015 at 11:25 pm

    Wow, your mom sounds like an amazing woman! What a great example. Those treats look amazing. Happy Mother's Day!

    Reply
    • Jaimi says

      May 13, 2015 at 6:37 pm

      She was and is pretty amazing.The treats did look amazing… I need to order some for myself! 🙂 Hope you had a great Mother's Day as well.

      Reply

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