…Still a Good Mom {Joining #thegoodmommovement}

Today has been spent chasing the two tiny tornadoes that sweep through our house, and while I love it (most days), today has been a rough one. And I don’t feel like a good mom.

My hair is in a top knot because let’s be honest, it hasn’t been washed in a few days. I’m sporting my oldest sweatshirt, which has been smeared with what I am hoping is only leftover peanut butter from the little hands that have held onto me all day. And my eyes… well let’s just say they now have bags of their own.

Tonight I skipped making the chicken that had been thawing in the fridge and instead opted for our go-to easy dinner: grilled cheese. I ended up burning said sandwich because a stinky diaper called my name. I then lost my patience and snapped at our 5-year-old, which only escalated into an even bigger evening fiasco. I found myself rushing through bath time and stories, just counting down the seconds until bedtime. Then I crashed.

At the end of the day though… I am still a good Mom.

Sometime last year, I was scrolling through Instagram and I stumbled upon Emily’s account. She is the co-creator of #thegoodmommovement, which is meant to help “empower moms to see the beauty in all they do.” She instantly felt like a breath of fresh air, she is so genuine and real! Following her has truly normalized the ins and outs of everyday motherhood for me. I fell in love with her “…still a good mom” phrase, and I found myself repeating it OUTLOUD throughout the day.

We’ve all I’m sure, at one point or another, felt like we weren’t enough, or that despite not sitting down all day, we haven’t done enough. I know that I am guilty of allowing that feeling to take over far more than I’d normally like to admit. But hey, I’m human!!! So, this realization that no matter what happens during the day, positive or negative, I can still call myself a good Mom was HUGE for me. Goodbye, Mom guilt!

Motherhood is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and every new stage brings both unexplainable joy and also fresh challenges with it. Those newborn days and nights are both remarkable and extremely taxing. I remember not even feeling like myself sometimes. I struggled to bond with the baby who I had spent SO many nights praying over and over for and even found myself wishing away part of this time due to sleep deprivation… but I am still a good Mom.

Those ‘terrible twos and threes’ test you like nothing else! If you have ever potty trained one of your littles, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It is hard to remember that this is just a stage when these difficult days hit. You know the ones where you feel like you’re being bossed around by a tinier version of yourself. Yeah, those ones. I have lost my patience and have fallen short of the example I want to set for my kiddos more than once… but I am still a good Mom.

When your kids finally reach school age and you’re running from one drop off to another, helping with homework, remembering to pack a lunch and bring a snack for the class, or balancing evening sports and extracurricular activities, it can be just plain exhausting! There are days where I truly just feel like a taxi cab driver, chef, housekeeper, and honestly, sometimes just overwhelmed… but I am still a good Mom.

There is no ‘right’ way to navigate through this season of motherhood. Each of us has our own unique journey, and that is the beauty of it. So, no matter what your brain tells you on those challenging days… You were made for this. You are more than enough. You are capable. And you are still a good Mom!