Be There

27 Days to a Happy Mom - Day 15

Sometimes I get all caught up in the "I don't get to do what I want to do" mommy martyrdom.  I'll talk back to myself now.  So quit and make time for some of what you want to do.  And the rest of the time, let yourself enjoy the time with your children.  At the most vital level, children really don't need a whole lot.  They need a standard amount of care-taking, and they want fluff and stuff.  But of you, as their mother, they just want you.  Your time.  Your attention.  Your love.  Your affirmations that they are something really special.

Be there to tuck them into bed, and give them extra kisses.  Thy won't always allow it.

Go to their concerts.  You always dread taking the time, but end up enjoying the music.  And it really doesn't take that long.

Take them to the museum.  Or the park.  Or the library.  Or shopping.  They love going anywhere with you, and it's not as hard as you make it out to be.

Put down what you are doing for just a moment.  Peel your eyes off the computer (better yet, shut it off!), and look at your children.  Make eye contact.  Laugh at the inane joke.  Run outside and see the sunset when they beg you to.  Don't be the "just a minute" mom anymore.

I'm trying to be there more.  and I'm tying to go there more - I'm a such a homebody that going places sometimes bugs me.  But I want to do fun things with my kids.  I want to be a fun mom.  I want to be there when they are happy.  So I even went on a hike with the boys (nearly killed me).  

But they were patient with their old mom, and we made it.  It was an incredible view from the mountain.  And we all had fun.

Just for today... turn off this computer and really be there with your kids.  It's not as hard as you think, doesn't take that much time, and it's kinda nice!