100 Things I Learned From Motherhood - #98
Maintain Your Focus
I’d heard the adage, KISS-Keep it simple, stupid for years before I became a parent, but it wasn’t until I had more than one child that I really began to see why this was so important. You see, you can’t DO everything and you can’t BE THE BEST at everything.
This means that Kelly’s kid may be the gymnastic wonder. Karen’s kid may win the geography bee. Jeannie’s kid may end up with the astronomy scholarship.
Nancy might be known as the best seamstress in town. Anna might look better in a bathing suit than you do thanks to hours at the gym.
Yeah, you’re limited. We don’t like to hear that in this “I’ll tell you what you want to hear” society, but it’s true. You’ll have to pick your priorities and be the absolute best you can be at those FEW things. If you don’t learn to say NO and choose what’s best for you and your family, you’re going to burn out girl! You can be the best at one thing (mommy-ing your kids) and let everything else take a back seat, priority-wise.
That doesn’t mean you can’t sell Avon, run the PTA or manage your church’s women’s ministry, but it does mean you can’t do all of those things at the same time as also being a great mommy. I know that sounds kinda harsh, but you may just have to pick one thing (plus mommy-ing) and let the other stuff slide until they are out of the house.
It’s only a few years, and aren’t they worth it?
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POSTED IN: General, Growing up, Healthy choices, Parenting, Practicalities
9 opinions for 100 Things I Learned From Motherhood - #98
Jenn
Sep 25, 2006 at 10:21 am
This is so true. Thanks for the reminder! It didsn’t take me long to learn this as a new mom. I wanted the perfect baby and I wanted to do all these things with her.
The thing is, she is the perfect baby, because she’s mine. Besides the laundry is a top priority, so music lessons may just have to wait!
Holly Schwendiman
Sep 25, 2006 at 12:19 pm
One of my favorite lines is “In the Meantime” because what we fail to recognize so often is that in the meantime while we are being mom and putting some of our own ambitions to change the world on the back burner we are in fact changing the world. That in the meantime of being a mom, we are being perfectly prepared for what lay ahead. Thanks for the reminder!
Hugs,
Holly
Holly’s Corner
robyn
Sep 25, 2006 at 2:18 pm
So, true. As I read the sad news stories today I am reminded of the importance of slowing down and enjoying my little ones…
1SmartMom.com » KISS-Keep It Simple Stupid
Sep 27, 2006 at 6:15 am
[…] While reading from another smart mom’s site, Robyn reminded me of something I too have heard before, but needed reminding of. KISS-Keep It Simple Stupid. A few years ago I thought my life was so dull. Being newly married we needed married friends, we weren’t active in much, and I was a stay-at-home mom with very little money (aka-Go Nowhere Stay At Home Mom). I had a pretty good handle on my priorities because I didn’t have anything to prioritize =) Now I have 2 kids, I am rooom mom at my daughter’s school, I work out at the gym, I have friends that I can’t remember the last time I called, my husband and I teach a parenting class at our church, I have a blog to keep up with up, and the list goes on. […]
Karen
Sep 27, 2006 at 1:16 pm
So true. I have felt pulled in so many directions lately. I just want to do nothing!!!
Thrifty Mommy » KISS - “Keep It Simple, Stupid”
Sep 27, 2006 at 1:24 pm
[…] I miss my days of being bored. I love my kids, but I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like to have nothing to do. Sometimes we all become so consumed with too much to do. We continue to obligate ourselves to more responsibilities. I hope that you will take two minutes to read Robyn’s blog. It was a great reminder for me today that we need to be thrifty with our time and not just our money. […]
Flu Patrol » A confession of a blog-jolting moms (off-flu-topic)
Sep 27, 2006 at 8:11 pm
[…] But it’s kinda hard for a mom like me who writes about flu to find other moms who might right about flu or infectious diseases, so it’s been difficult to link other sites to Flu Patrol… Until I came across Robyn’s “Inside Motherhood” and Angel’s “1SmartMom“. And I was reminded were my strength lie as a blogger: maintaining my focus and keeping my priorities straight. […]
Tonya
Sep 29, 2006 at 12:46 pm
My children are 12 and 9, and it’s taken me this long to figure this one out! I agree with you. Right now is my time for raising my children. My time for all of the other things will be after they are out of the house. Of course I still have other things that I do, I’m just learning to limit them and focus on where I’m really needed.
robyn
Sep 29, 2006 at 2:40 pm
At least you realized it before they’re teenagers. My hubby is a youth pastor and there are so many regretful parents at 17. I don’t want to be there one day, wishing I’d been different, you know?
I think I used to believe that my kids wouldn’t grow up and out until I was super-old. Now I realize (at 31) that’s 45’s not so super-old… LOL
I can wait :)
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