I don’t know about you, but I am my biggest critic. Worse than one of those cheeky food critics, like the one humorously portrayed in Ratatoullie. I scrutinize every single detail of every conversation, action, creation, thought. The list of possible targets to my scrutiny is endlessly exhausting. Perfection is the never-obtainable goal. So, it should come as no surprise, I often lay in bed at night, in the quiet, while shutting off my brain…wondering, did I do enough today for my kids?
Did I hug them enough? Give them enough attention? Ask enough questions? Did I give them enough love? Did I tell them I’m proud? Was I engaged? Was I kind? Was it all enough?
Is it ever enough? Enough to combat the offense. Did I execute an adequate defense?
For you see, tomorrow they will get up and journey back into a world that reverberates to them, they aren’t enough. That they don’t have what it takes. That they don’t measure up. A world that pushes them for more. To be more. Do more. Give more.
So, I lie there, faking sleep, asking… was it all enough?
Maybe I’m not the only mom, plagued by this vexing fret. I most assuredly doubt that I am. And since I am not, today, as a mom, I come as your personal cheerleader! I have my pompoms and my cute outfit on. A big obnoxious bow strapped to my head and the biggest, cheesiest smile you have ever seen, slapped on my face! I am shouting…You’re doing a great job! You’re are successfully keeping the little (or big) humans alive. Yay!
Today, let’s stop stressing and take a minute for a deep breath. Remember, there is no operation manual for this job, and whoever wrote What to “Expect When You’re Expecting”, forgot A LOT OF CRITICAL INFORMATION!