I am not a Pinterest Mom. You know the type … the kind who makes her kids adorable, healthy bento-box lunches and creative dinners and does cool crafts and fun projects that involve paint and glitter. I’m the PB&J and a couple of carrot sticks, let’s-use-washable-crayons-with-that-coloring-book type of mom.
I used to feel kind of bad about it and get hung up on all the things I suck at and the things I don’t do. I used to look longingly at the other moms who seemed to have their ish together through the screen of my iPhone or across the aisles at the grocery store and wish that I could be awesome at motherhood in the ways that they were.
But, lately I’ve been taking the wise words of my friend Queen Elsa of Arendelle to heart and “letting it go.” (Yes. I totally have a Frozen obsessed daughter.) I’m letting go of the mom I’m not, and embracing the mom that I am.
I am a cozy-up-on-the-couch-and-snuggle-while-watching-cartoons kind of mom. I am a singing-show-tunes-and-dancing-in-the-kitchen kind of mom. I am a says-I-love-you-80-times-a-day kind of mom. I am a put-cute-outfits-together and hair-doing kind of mom. I am a document-with-9,000-pictures kind of mom. I am a little traditions kind of mom. I am a sometimes-lets-my-kid have-dessert-instead-of-dinner kind of mom. I am a tidies-up-your toys-so-you-can-always-find-them kind of mom. I am a prayers-before-bedtime kind of mom. I am an always-has-just-what-you-need-in-my-purse kind of mom. I am a let’s-skip-nap-time-in-favor-of-something-more-fun kind of mom. I am a pretty patient, talk-it-out kind of mom. I’m also an imperfect-sometimes-snaps-but-always-says-I’m-sorry kind of mom.
I’m realizing that even though I’m not a perfect mom (and never will be), I am the perfect mom for my kids … just like you are the perfect mom for yours. So let go of the mom you’re not and embrace the mom you are … because that mom is a pretty great one.
Lauren Hartmann is the founder of The Little Things We Do, a blog about life and adventures in Portland, Oregon. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram or catch up on all of her posts here on Babble.
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