Give yourself a pat on the back mom you have given up many things for your kids. As mom’s we sacrifice a lot for our children, but with every sacrifice we gain beautiful memories with these little people we have brought into the world. Even though they will most likely never know or recognize what you have done until many years down the line, us fellow mom’s know what you have done and applaud you for everything.
1.) Sleep (What is that?)
The number one thing us mom’s give up is sleep, many would argue in our adolescence that we sleep the same amount of time due to parties, events and even family time. This I would argue it is more important to sleep the full 8 hours when your a mommy since your brain needs sleep to give you energy during the day. Tired mommies are not fun at all, but somehow we turn 1-2 hours of sleep into 9 full hours when we have newborns.
2.) Sleeping Alone
No matter what age our children seem to be, it is either feeding time, monsters or just habits of sleeping in their parents bed that lead to many a sleepless nights. Forget getting intimate when you have a little 20 lbs human in between you and your significant other. Training your children at young ages to sleep alone is very important and should be done when you and the child are ready. Creating sleeping rituals which ultimately lead to the little one sleeping alone should be done and performed every night. This way the baby can learn the pattern and adjust to their new sleeping situation.
3.) Cute Outfits
By cute outfits I mean outfits that would have otherwise been perfectly choreographed through 2 hours of trying on and taking off clothes. As a mom of 4 I find myself counting myself lucky on the days I actually manage find a pair of matching socks to wear. I’ve found stretchy pairs of jeans and a cute shirt works best for me. I’ve never really been a makeup and dress kind of girl so I don’t very much have trouble in that area..
To the moms who can still style their hair, do their makeup and coordinate outfits perfectly props to you mom!
4.) Your Sanity
Have you ever heard of the saying, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” Albert Eisenstein said this. I find myself going insane telling the kids STOP over and over again, or constantly saying “sit down and eat your food”. Some day’s I wish I just recorded myself saying it so when we are eating all I have to do is hit play when ever I need to. By the way I have tried this, my kids just laughed at how odd it was that I did this so it kind of backfired on me lol.
5.) Privacy
Kiss your privacy goodbye when you have little ones, your bound to have one of them repeat something you thought they didn’t hear you say once or twice a day. Kids say the darnest things don’t they? Well kids WILL say something you thought was said in the privacy of your phone call. I usually have a little one question something I said to a friend or family member 3-4 times a day. Their curiosity borderlines detective skills when it comes to this subject. I do explain to them that some people are to have their own conversations with one another that wont include them, and that it is to be respected and not broken when they interrupt adults or repeat information and conversations that did not include them.
6.) Using The Bathroom Alone
Good luck trying to use the bathroom on your own or with little to no distractions. Yes with every trip to the potty you are bound to have things such as little fingers under the door, a little one needing to use their potty trainer, or someone screaming MOM for something that leaves you running to their rescue with toilet paper trailing behind you.
7.) Eating Your Whole Meal In Peace
Something I find a little frustrating but a needed sacrifice when you have children, is the meal time dilemma, Eating your whole meal can be a struggle no matter how hard you try to work around the children schedules. I find this becomes easier as the children get older and more independent. Something I suggest is eating your meals as you cook or after they have finished when you have little ones. My 1 year old constantly gets up and likes to sit in my lap when it is dinner time, this is a difficult and frustrating time since I am most likely fighting to keep her from touching everything on the table.
If your a lucky mamma and am able to finish your whole meal in peace, without saying Sit down! Eat your food! Shhhh! I envy you lol.
8.) No More Long Hot Showers Or Baths
These can come once in a blue moon for moms, nothing is more refreshing than your first hot shower after you have your new bundle of joy. It is so nice to wash away the day’s activities than a relaxing and refreshing hot shower or bath. These tend to come at different times of month since most days we are only able to jump in and out. I consider these a Dip into what I would normally love to experience. A tip I can give all mom’s is to learn to take these when the children are asleep, if that means at 7pm or at 11 am do it! You won’t get 2nd chances some days to do that so take the opportunities while they last. We are lucky enough to have things such as Netflix so we can pause and resume out favorite shows when we are finished.
9.) Social Life
As much as we want to going out with little ones is near impossible depending on the weather, season, timing and sleep schedule of your little ones. The first couple of months are always difficult where as you don’t want them to be exposed to germs and such while they are at such a young age. Going out and attending events is especially difficult when you need to schedule baby sitters.
10.) Following Your Dreams
Sometimes a dream is just that a dream, something we fantasize and reach toward in our adult lives. Dreams are always possible and can defiantly be accomplished. But when you have a child those dreams sometimes have to be put on hold. Don’t worry though moms, you can always pick up your dreams as soon as the time is right and resume from where you left off. Sometimes when we have kids our dreams can change or even mold into something more beautiful and perfect for our families. Let your dreams evolve as your family and life grows.
Jamela says
I swear kids never stop wanting to sleep with mom. My oldest who is almost 16, and is over 6 foot and about 250 pounds still climbs his big butt in bed with me.
micaela6955/Michele P says
I remember those days! My daughter finally decided she was going to sleep on her own about 2 years ago, but it was time lol. I still do have some of these issues, like sleep, my sanity (a teen in the home) and with 1 bathroom using the bathroom alone isn’t exactly easy when my daughter and I are fighting over who goes in next lol.
carrie says
My son is almost 2 and he does so good at sleeping in his crib. When he was a baby I would rock him to sleep in his room on the love seat, then put him in his crib. If he woke up in the middle of the night, we stayed in his room on the love seat, gave him a bottle would snuggle for a while even sleep in there for a few hours, but eventually put him back in his crib. I found with being consistent with this, he never expected to sleep anywhere else . Granted, we have napped on the couch and bed a bunch of times, but he knows bed time is in his crib. And he likes that! I think the boundaries need to be taught from the beginning, then you aren’t confusing the child when you are trying to get your bed back and all of a sudden making them sleep alone.