When our babies are really little, and I mean this could last until they are school age, they really need so much of us. We give much of our energy-sometimes every last drop-to our families. It is better to give than to receive, but we do receive in this too.
We get moments for ourselves. Due to the limited nature of that time, we can cherish it. I know I do.
I cherish the times I can grocery shop alone now that my kids are old enough to stay home.
I am grateful for the chance to sit in the car while my oldest is at church youth group. I read, or write, or scroll social media.
I am grateful that my children go to sleep before me and stay asleep all night. I can read in the peace and quiet of a sleeping household.
I may not have gotten the same amount of time to myself when my children were babies, but I got some.
Rocking them to sleep was quiet time.
Watching them play at the playground while sitting on a park bench, was quiet time.
When grandparents visited and I could sneak away for an hour, I cherished those moments so much.
Moms receive in small ways. But, the way mom teach giving is more important than receiving. The time we spend on our children teaches our children so much.
Giving is More Important than Receiving
We forget many times that the best life rule is it is better to give than to receive. We are human…and sleep helps with the joy factor. But, really, when we boil down our mission as parents, when we really focus on the values we want our children to live out as they grow, don’t we want them to follow our example of giving so much?
We give them so much of our time. They learn that giving – raising a family – is a goal to achieve. It is important and worth their time.
Think of all you do in a day! We may not be doing everything our children want every day. But we are meeting their needs. We also are getting our needs met whether we are getting enough me time or not.
We share with our children the valuable lessons of caring for others, loving others unconditionally-whether they let us have a minute alone or an hour.
We show them how to treat the rest of the world. And, in order to do all this, all we have to do is be present moms.
It’s simple. Yet, we complicate it by worrying about little things.
We allow ourselves to be stressed wondering when we will feel like we have parenting all figured out. We wonder when we will be free of feeling like we have more on our plates than we can handle some days. We worry.
And all we have to do is keep going.
Don’t get me wrong. Giving your child whatever they want is not what I mean. There are times we have to say, “Wait one minute,” or “I have to put you down and use two hands,” or a flat out, “No.”
It all teaches lessons. It all sets an example. Lessons learned by our children that love and care of family can be a focus and mission in life.
Giving is more important than receiving. It is what teaches our children to give as well. I hope we moms never lose sight of that because we do it every day anyway.
<<< Read More Encouragement for Motherhood HERE >>>
Trackbacks/Pingbacks