It’s amazing how you can be surrounded by such amazing human beings all day and still feel lonely. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that right now my desire for adult interaction is at an all-time high.
I wear many hats as a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM). I Chauffeur my kids back and forth to school, to doctor’s appointments, dance lessons – you name it! I am a Chef who prepares countless meals and a Nutritionist who spends way too much time and effort worrying about their food choices. I Doctor wounds on an almost daily basis and act as a Therapist who guides them through personal relationships. I am a Fitness Instructor, reminding them of the importance of exercise. I am their Pastor who speaks God’s truths into their lives and encourages their walk with Him. I am a Teacher, both in their studies and as they develop their personal skills. I am a Maid who follows them around, scrambling to pick up after them as they tornado their way through my house. I am a Life Coach in every sense of the word. And although they don’t have official titles – I am the go-to hugger, boo-boo kisser, talk it through-er, kick you out of the house and make you work it out-er, expert snuggler, bad dream mender, finder of all things lost, and much, much more! Oh right, that does have a title – MOM!
When you really think about all the roles you play as a parent, it’s easy to see why the whole darn thing can be overwhelming at times. Most often, it leaves you very little room to breathe, let alone interact with other adults.
Mom groups are great…but when your baby is overtired and needs to be home to nap, or your older two are fighting non-stop and need some serious grounding…often times you have to resort to being home. Alone. And sometimes it sucks.
This is a stage I’m in…where I’m home alone (or just me and the kids) for far too much of the day. While I know it is just that – a stage – it still can be crippling at times. That’s why I am so grateful for social media right now (despite its bad rep) and the online connections I can make that make me feel a little less alone. But I’m most grateful for the ladies who have my back and have been there in the thick of it. Friends who show up on my doorstep, pretending the mess wasn’t there, with a cup of coffee or a meal in hand. The friends who pull a crying, inconsolable baby from my arms before the tears begin to spill from mine. Friends who take my minions on outings and treat them with little trinkets to make them feel special and allow mama a little nap.
Motherhood can be lonely. How can you ease the load of a fellow mama today? It might be as simple as an encouraging text, but it might mean the world to them.
Share with us in the comments a time when someone’s simple action spoke to your heart in a hard season.
