I’m an Imperfect Mom…
It’s true…I’m such an imperfect mom. Seriously, if you could just jump through the screen and join me at my house for the day you would see how many times I fail!! So why am I talking about this? Well, today I’m joining the other bloggers at iHomeschool Network to discuss the imperfect homeschool.
I think it’s easy for me to look at other bloggers and see how awesome their life looks when I read their posts. It’s easy to compare, be jealous, and not content in my life. Then I think to myself, I wonder if my readers think my life is perfect and all together? I kinda doubt you think I’m perfect, but I just want to be real with you and want to you to know that I’m far from perfect.
After thinking about this topic, I came to the conclusion that it just make sense that I only share pictures, activities, and moments that were good on my blog. Why would I show you activities that failed? You would probably stop reading after I continually shared several failed activities. Also, out of respect for my family I choose not to post embarrassing photos or share intimate details of our lives. That just makes sense.
Since my kiddos are little, I thought I would share with you 5 imperfect things about me as a mom instead of imperfect things about homeschooling, since we aren’t fully doing this yet. To read more imperfect homeschool posts, visit the iHomeschool Network Blog Hop! Here we go…
1. I am selfish. After having my first child, I realized how selfish I am. I love time and space to myself. I love eating leisurely, not shoveling food down my throat or having to eat cold food because I’m busy serving the kiddos.
2. I need breaks. I totally thrive on breaks. Lately, my oldest is having a hard time resting or napping in the afternoon and that’s been a huge adjustment! I really need my alone time and can get crabby if I don’t get it. Sometimes I just need a break, so I let my kids watch tv. Yes, we are a family that lets our kids watch tv in moderation.
3. I loose my cool. Some days my patience wears thin and I get mad. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it happens. It is something I work on and pray about daily.
4. Not all my activities are great. I have many failed activities that I don’t share with you. I mean, why would I share with you activities that aren’t good?? Just being honest here!
And just for fun…5. I let my kids jump on the bed. No, not all the time, but when I’m changing their sheets, I let them get a little crazy. They love it and we just have a fun time doing it!
So there you have proof…I am an imperfect mom. I hope this was encouraging to you!
You change bedsheets??? Well, in my world, you’re perfect. 🙂 I love this post! Imperfection is what makes life beautiful. If we were all glossy robots….well, pretty boring stuff. Thanks for sharing!
HAHA! You crack me up, Kristin! Yes, we do change bedsheets every once in a while 🙂 Yes, you are right–life would be boring with we were perfect! Thanks for your comment and I hope you are doing well!
Your post made me smile. Isn’t it funny how we sometimes envy other people and their lives? I used to do the same until I remembered to keep in mind that their blogs only reflect a part of their life; the one they choose to show me….Perfection is relative anyway. For example, I know my husband is not perfect but he’s perfect to me and for me. Real perfection would be so boring anyway! LOL
Valerie recently posted…Dinosaur Week for Preschoolers – Part 1
Yes, it is so funny that we envy other people. And you are so right…most bloggers show the best parts of their lives on their blogs and it’s just a snippet of what’s going on. Great thoughts, Valerie. Thanks for sharing!
Those first 4 describe me so well! The fifth one I don’t actually count as an imperfection…I see it as a sign of what a good mom you are! Those are the moments your kids will remember.
Sharla recently posted…Clutter Busting Challenge Day #9
You are so sweet. I guess you’re right–it’s not really an imperfection. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m not super rigid with rules! 🙂 Thanks for your comment, Sharla!
I love this post — it’s great to see the best of people, but also to know that we are all moms — so we all know the birthing, the diapers, the whining, the cold food, the spit up, the “I want me time”, etc, etc. Thanks for being real 🙂
Amy recently posted…Daddy’s little girl
Thank you, Amy! Yes you are right- all moms experience all those lovely things. And you are welcome..I love being real with my readers. Thanks for your comment!
Thanks for sharing your imperfection!
Michelle recently posted…Homeschool Bloggers: We Don’t Have Perfect Lives
You’re welcome! I loved reading your post today, Michelle.
Ah, #1 and #2 on your list are HUGE for me, too. We’ve recently added a 4 & 5yo to our family, and it is NOT quiet and there are very FEW sanity breaks. Which leads sometimes to #3. {sigh}
But we’ll get there!
Jamie {See Jamie Blog} recently posted…Top 3 Challenges in our Imperfect Homeschool
Glad to hear I’m not alone, Jamie! Wow, I’m sure you’ve had quite the adjustment. Hope you’ll find a routine that works for your family soon! 🙂
We jump on beds too 🙂 Not too much now that our daughter is 13, but we love people and fun way more than we love stuff. And, who am I kidding, with a big dog and five cats, plenty of other stuff walks on that furniture, why should we be any different? 🙂
Thank you for sharing your imperfect life – I love it!
Joan recently posted…The days that are anything but picture-perfect: When our unschooling is a hot mess
Yay for jumping on beds!! 🙂 I always thought I would be the mom that wouldn’t let their kids jump on the bed, but I have changed. They love it and we don’t do it all the time 🙂 Thanks for your sweet words. 🙂
I definitely am with you, especially #1 and #2! I MUST have a break in the afternoon or I have such a hard time functioning. New babies throw a wrench into my plan, but here’s what I’ve done with my first three kids after they finished napping:
1) At about 2 1/2 they’ve all put up a fight at naptime. They still have to go in their cribs. They cry and fuss a lot.
2) They still nap sporadically, and in a few weeks (or months) they all readjust to sleeping almost every afternoon – an hour or more.
3) Somewhere around age 3, when it’s obvious they are not going to nap anymore (or they do nap but then aren’t tired at night), we transition to quiet time in their bedrooms: boxes of books and toys. They are usually good at this for about 45 minutes. Then they are allowed to go to the playroom, with the understanding that it’s still quiet time a bit longer.
4) Around age 4, they transition to having quiet time in a part of the house, knowing they can come get me if needed, but also that this is their time to play alone or with a sibling. It’s 80 minutes long, and it’s great!
It’s not perfect. Some days quiet time is more quiet than others. It takes some teaching time in the beginning. But it’s really worked for me!
Anna recently posted…Rhymes for Letter X: Little Letter X Book
Hi Anna! Great advice. Glad to hear I’m not the only one who needs a break in the afternoon!! I have my oldest rest from 1-3ish with listening to stories on tape or music. If he falls asleep that’s great, but if he doesn’t then he gets up. If he falls asleep, he sleeps so heavily that it’s hard to wake him up! Oh well! We’re getting better at our routine. Thanks again for sharing what works for you! I don’t know how you do with with 4 little ones!
I could easily attribute all 4 of your listed imperfections and apply them to myself. It’s so nice to know we’re not alone. Although one of my glaring imperfections is my habitual use of the computer (social media, blogging, catching up on emails) and sadly, I find myself shushing my girls when they interuppt me. Every night I tell myself to unplug at least for a majority of the girl’s “up” time but here I am already…. catching up on some blog reading.
Now that I just busted myself- I’m going to power off and play with my kids. Thanks for your post.
Kristen @ TeachingStars recently posted…Imperfect Homeschool – A Truthful Dose of the Homeschooling Uglies
Thanks Kristen for sharing your thoughts! Yes, I am guilty of spending too much time on the computer/phone with my kids around. It’s very tempting to check email or respond to a message. Definitely something I need to work on, too! I enjoyed reading your post today, too! Being a mom + homeschoolling is hard work!! Thanks for being so real and honest on your blog today!!