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“But, I hate mustard, mom!” my child screeched at me from the dinner table. I had just finished bouncing a baby for two hours trying to calm down his hysteria, and here I was getting a scolding, thanks to mustard.
My four children each have their own picky eating habits, and sometimes I forget who hates what. I mean, it’s just mustard, but for my child who loathes the yellow spread with a passion, it was a big deal. For a split second, I felt like a bad mother because I should be able to keep it straight.
One day, when my sleep patterns and sanity have returned to their pre-children state, I’ll figure out a way to keep track of it all. And when I do, I’ll take the time to celebrate that moment. As mundane as it may seem, it will make me feel like I have all my stuff together for the first time since becoming a mother.
Parenthood is not easy and I don’t care if you have one child or seven, there are some tasks that just seem a little more challenging to complete. When you have kids, even the best-laid plans can go awry — especially if they include mustard.
Today, at lunch I remembered, finally, that it’s my first child who loves mustard and my third who will correct me if there is a drop of it on her plate. I remembered and instead of a cheer or congratulations, there was radio silence — they just ate their food (which is, as mothers know, a reward of its own.)
But I felt like a superhero, on par with Iron Man, a legit genius, and Jean Grey, who can read minds. Like Hercules and his seven tasks, here are the 15 everyday accomplishments that immediately place parents on a pedestal of superheroism:
1. Successfully getting a toddler’s pants back on after a diaper change.
2. Getting everyone tucked in and asleep before 11 pm.
3. Navigating the grocery store with four kids and not losing anyone … for too long.
4. Not burning dinner.
5. Keeping at least one houseplant semi-alive.
6. Getting those hard-to-grip Lego pieces apart.
7. Remembering which child hates mustard and which one wouldn’t forgive you if you forgot it.
8. Brushing your teeth before noon.
9. Finding the lost toy your kid won’t stop crying about.
10. Re-hooking your nursing bra before answering the door.
11. Remembering the doctor appointment today.
12. Only being a few minutes late to said doctor appointment.
13. Finding the matching sock.
14. Getting the clothes into the dryer before mildew sets.
15. Getting your kid to finish all their homework.
What’s your biggest everyday parenting win?