As a mother, you are gifted with the....
Ability to Teach Others
Learning from a role model or mentor gives us so many things. So just imagine how much your little one feels learning from you: to him or her, you are a powerhouse of knowledge and wisdom.
Acknowledge ....
that your patience in showing your child how to do simple or complex tasks one step at a time fosters independence.
that your understanding why your child is upset and modelling appropriate language to communicate their wants or needs fosters emotional regulation (and communication).
that your soothing tones and voice to them when "chaos" is amidst teaches them to slow down and focus.
that this day, today, is a compilation of many days that end in a year and at the end of that year you will get to witness all of the skills that you taught to your child and invested in your relationship.
Yes, this day holds value momma.
Remember...
*that people you come into contact with in your daily life pay attention and observe.
*that people who surround you whether it be a stranger, acquaintance, friend, or family member may observe how you teach your child to behave (ah, that grocery trip!)
*that people who observe you may learn a thing or two from you (and not tell you).
*that it is okay not to know how to teach your child how to do something. Here's your learning opportunity too!
Ability to do All Kinds of Work...
Work?! The word can be revolting...the very opposite picture of lounging on a hammock sipping a margarita and listening to the beach waves lapping.
Also the very opposite of boredom.
Depending on the workplace environment, there are many benefits to working:
Work gives us purpose. Personally, I think the new "standard" for work no longer means just a decent dinner on the table. It means having a decent dinner on the table, a completed school or work assignment, and a completed chore or two. As humans, we've learned what we are capable of and so our standards for ourselves and others has piled higher and higher, regardless of fatigue or not.
Remember, feeding your family took your time and effort. You don't need to do five other tasks in order for that one task to count. Your presence, your attention during mealtime to your family means more than you may realize.
Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs"(see below diagram) establishes that the first level of needs is taking care of basic needs like food, water, and shelter. So, consider it said that if you provide those things to yourself and family during struggles and hardships in your life, then you are doing amazing. I sometimes like to think of the hierarchy as actual steps and when I skip too many in order to accomplish things on the top step, I "slip and fall" metaphorically speaking. In actual reality, this could mean skipping lunch to get errands or housework done.
Exhaustion might send you into a revulsion towards work. So, step back down that pyramid, friend, and go back to level one.
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