I think it’s fair to say no one has spent more time with their kids the last couple of months than a mom in lock down with her young children. And never before with as little help from others and the same amount of responsibilities to uphold than right now.
The upside, never before has a husband been around this much to witness it all. When I say it all – I mean how many tantrums a two-year-old can really have in a day.
How many “No’s’” a five-year-old can yell.
How many times she hears Elsa sing “Into the Unknown.”
How many times she loads the dishwasher and unloads it.
How she checks in on her own mother, her grandmother, and your mother fellas (the good ol mother in law).
How many boo-boos she kisses, noses she wipes, zoom calls she coordinates, deep breaths she takes, and love she gives.
And the real shocker to most men, how many days it takes to wash, fold and put away the laundry all for them to throw their socks next to the dirty clothes hamper.
Right now, mom is the teacher (literally), the peacemaker, the comfort blanket, the playmate, the IT coordinator, the encourager, the rock of the family. If mom is working, she is fulfilling those responsibilities from home as well as everything else. She worries about her parents’ and grandparents’ health, her husband’s job, and her children’s education. She hardly thinks about herself (besides maybe wanting a shower and a back rub).
Right now, mom is spent. She is exhausted, tired, and out of cool learning ideas. She’s at the point where chocolate is fine for breakfast and Netflix or Disney Plus is now the substitute teacher. She wonders what her own mom or grandmother would have done back in the day given these circumstances.
Is she a good enough mom, friend, daughter, teacher, playmate and wife? Deep down she knows she is killing it- or doing the best she can and everyone is alive. The dog is fed, kids have fresh pajamas for the day and her spouse was acknowledged with one of their love languages.
So, this Mother’s Day won’t be the same as others, we can all agree on that. No pre-made card will be sent home from daycare or preschool, no browsing will be done at Target. But we can all agree that mom deserves it all on this particular mothers’ day.
By: Rachael Ramas
