We are all curators online, carefully crafting our lives for those who follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or on our blogs (the old Grandma now of the online world). We showcase the perfectly groomed kids. The beautifully set table and home-cooked food. The seasonally decorated mantles. And, yes, perfectly cute, healthy school lunches.
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First Hello Kitty lunch of the new school year! Stored in an @easylunchboxes: Salami, Cheddar and Seed Crackers, Cucumbers and Homemade Ranch, Apples and Blueberries. @lunchbox_love Note; Hello Kitty decorative items from @bentousa. #iheartlunch #primal
(this Mama raises her hand) Guilty.
Despite the precious moments we share online, behind the scenes, we moms are busting our tails to get it all done. Taking kids to and from school. Making dental appointments for children who scream bloody murder at the site of a dentist’s chair. Trying to cook relatively healthy dinners while wild, dirty little boys screech through the kitchen, throwing balls, trying to sword fight with brooms, and (invariably) crying over some brotherly injustice.
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Can you tell who came up with (and won) the game of Mud Fight? #BoyMom #ThisIsSummer
We sit with new 1st grade readers, going through the once exciting but now p-a-i-n-f-u-l-l-y slow task of sounding out the pages in their little books and memorizing sight words.
As moms, we pin beautiful living rooms with gorgeously coordinated pillows and rugs … all while sighing over our micro-fiber couches that the salesman SWORE would never show a stain and would be a breeze to keep clean.
Liar. Mine smells of little boys and has pillows that are never on it thanks to little bows who insist that couches are nothing more than indoor trampolines.
But, somehow — despite the obstacles and the schedules, the craziness and the kids who claim to never know how in the world that room got so messy — we do it all. Mamas keep going and going and going. Working after the kids go to bed and getting right back at it in the week early hours before they wake up.
We’re unstoppable because we have to be.
But, this unstoppable Mama? Me? I’m not a Super-Mom. I have my down days. My “I need lots of chocolate” days. My “how will I ever get it all done” days.
No, no super-hero cape flying behind me as I swoosh around town. The online version of my life may look like I have it all together but that’s far from the truth. But, I’ve learned one secret that helps me keep from tearing my hair out … or ripping the pages out of my planner.
How To Be An Unstoppable Mom? Take time to breathe.
Yes, for me, it really is that simple. What does breathing look like? I’m not talking about taking a deep breath once a day … I mean taking time … even a few minutes worth … to be alone.
Maybe it’s because I’m a solid introvert, but I’ve learned a few moments of alone time keep me charged to tackle everything and take care of everybody. Whether it is through a morning quiet time, a few moments spent doing my nails after the kids go to bed, or a simple cup of coffee on the back porch, it is enough.
Sometimes, those moments come unexpectedly … like when I arrive at the grocery store and discover every blessed child in my car is snoozing away. You better believe I wait a few minutes, listening to the sound of deep breaths and baby snores, allowing myself to do nothing but just “Be.”
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Kids passed out in the car … so I am enjoying quiet time in the grocery store parking lot. Just me and my coffee. #YouDontWakeTheChaos
I need that time — time to focus on myself or to listen to the birds or to concentrate on simply being quiet — to be unstoppable. To be fueled. To be ready for the mental, physical, and emotional demands of being Mommy.
It’s a simple trick I learned watching my own unstoppable Mama. She’s proof-positive that it works.
Unstoppable Moms from MOTRIN®
The makers of Children’s MOTRIN® are inspired by all the things Moms do, from quick family meals to keeping the kids entertained on rainy days. We may not always realize it, but we are ALL amazing in so many ways … on call day and night and full of unique knowledge that can really help other moms.
Share Your Unstoppable Mom Tips
The makers of Children’s MOTRIN® are asking all of us Moms to post our tips and tricks to the MOTRIN® Facebook page under each week’s Kelly Ripa question video. These can be your own tips or those from moms you know, and can be about everything from how you create quick meals for your family to how you keep the kids entertained on a long drive. For every post, Children’s MOTRIN® will donate $1 to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global nonprofit that provides moms with the tips they need to help keep their children safe.
Psssst … Moms could even win weekly giveaways of $100 gift cards just for posting.*
So, what’s your Unstoppable Mom tip???
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES & D.C., 18 AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Promotion ends 11:59p.m. ET 12/28/14. Sponsor will donate $1 for each approved Submission made as part of the promotion, with a minimum donation of $30,000 and a maximum donation of $50,000. For Official Rules, and complete details, visit www.unstoppablemoms.com. Sponsor: McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. To learn more about Safe Kids Worldwide visit safekids.org.
I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for The Motherhood on behalf of the makers of Children’s MOTRIN® and received compensation to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
