It’s super tough to be good parents these days, especially when you feel that you’re on the losing end of a tug-of-war rope. We connected with Los Angeles mom and AHotMama.com blogger Nora Strassburger Moore for some inspiration on parenting styles to help us get through the day. Read her most recent post, Eight Things Having Kids Has Taught Me, to help keep your chin up.
As a parent it is our responsibility to teach and guide our kids. However, in the twist and turns of life we are often humbled by lessons learned from our children.
Sometimes it’s easy to get swept away in mommy mode, but watching my kids has reminded me of some simple pleasures I’ve lost along the way. Here are 8 valuable lessons having kids has taught me that I’m reincorporating into my daily life:
1. Play dates are necessary- Socialization, problem solving, character building…all great benefits of play. Play dates can extend beyond adolescence. As an adult we call it a GNO and it’s refreshing on so many levels to get out occasionally.
2. Puppy love is cute- Holding hands, giggling every time he looks at you, blushing at the sound of his name…sweet innocent love is so endearing. Nothing like having a school girl crush at any age.
3. Farts and potty words are funny- I don’t know if it’s because I have 2 boys or generally a potty mouth sense of humor, but flatulence and poopy words rule.
4. Be spontaneous- Kids have little sense of time and planning. Sometimes it’s not such a bad thing. Straying from my daily schedule doesn’t happen much because I like a regimented life but stopping by a new restaurant on a whim or taking a random stroll at a park is my way of easing into spontaneity.
5. Laughter is the best medicine- Sometimes all you can do is laugh, and that’s all you need to do.
6. Boo boos heal- When you fall down, your best friend moves away, you don’t make the varsity team, are heartbroken from your crush…you eventually move on. Life’s disappointments hurt initially but in the end you grow from it all and become more resilient.
7. Say what you feel- I’ll never forget one night when I got dolled up for a GNO and Mo said, “you look like you’re trying too hard Mom.” LOL. Sometimes you just need to let people know what’s on your mind and that’s ok.
8. Live your life- Summer camps are filled with various vestibules of fun: kayaking, canoeing, archery, ropes course, theater, sword fighting….we sign our kids up to experience adventurous facets of life but we should too! Step outside of your box and LIVE!
This post was re-posted with permission, originally appearing at AHotMama.com. Nora Strassburger Moore created A Hot Mama as a way to connect and showcase moms from different backgrounds and lifestyles with various theories on motherhood and child rearing, but all with the same goal: to raise children the best we can. You can read more from A Hot Mama by visiting the website.