1. The kids don’t bathe nearly as much as they should. Neither do I.
2. The laundry often sits way too long in the laundry room.
3. My last tear filled moment was about how I feel like I am running in a hamster wheel when it comes to keeping this house in order. I have little elves that are trying to destroy everything I am trying to accomplish.
4. If there were one character development trait I needed to focus on all year long, it would be patience.
5. I have not found a good balance of how much time I spend with technology.
6. I have a favorite.
7. I lose it. Sometimes I just do.
8. I am convinced that my parenting tips are good. I wouldn’t write them if I didn’t think that. However, sometimes I struggle with implementing them. I try, but I definitely have times where I am slacking. Life goes so much better when I’m on top of it. Wish I could just stay there.
9. Sometimes photography gets in the way of the joy of the moment…especially when the camera is acting up. It couldn’t possibly be user error.
10. My kids cry and pitch fits.
11. My brain doesn’t work nearly as well as it used to.
12. 8:00 at night is my favorite time of day.
13. I need to make exercise a priority in my life.
14. There have been times I’ve wondered if I really want to be a stay at home mom.
15. I can look down on and relate to the woman in the grocery store yelling at her child, all in the same thought.
16. I’m excited for the time when my kids are all in school.
17. This blog wouldn’t be possible without my husband.
18. I love crafting as a kid. Having kids is the only thing that has brought it back. I really wouldn’t have called myself a “crafter” until this blog.
19. I sometimes ignore the quiet that inevitably means a disaster is happening just because I want a few more quiet moments myself.
20. I have had OCD moments of obsessing about pageviews.
21. I’m not a baby person. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a kid person. However, if you are not related to me, please don’t ask me to hold your baby.
22. There are times I haven’t felt like blogging. There have been times all I have wanted to do was blog.
23. There are times I don’t feel very meaningful.
24. Although the verses are the most important part of my character development series, I haven’t emphasized them enough.
25. I didn’t follow one blog until I started my own. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never heard of a link party, button, Alexa rating, CPM’s or anything.
26. I’ll complain about my kitchen/house being a disaster and then willingly destroy it for the sake of a craft, cake or activity. Then, I’ll complain again and wonder how I can never seem to keep things clean around here.
27. There have been some things I have had intentions of implementing, like the Saturday bin, and never follow through. Other things are going well. I still think it’s a good idea.
28. I stay up way too late. Mostly because it’s my only time without 3 little ones around.
29. I don’t do well with a high noise level. My kids are really loud.
30. Sometimes I am hopeful and excited about parenting. Sometimes I am discouraged and just getting by.
31. When I just had one child I thought it was hardest thing I had ever done in my life. Now when I have only have one child with me I think it is the easiest thing I have ever done. Perspective is amazing.
32. When a person without children says they are sick and just stayed in bed for a day, I’m envious.
2. The laundry often sits way too long in the laundry room.
3. My last tear filled moment was about how I feel like I am running in a hamster wheel when it comes to keeping this house in order. I have little elves that are trying to destroy everything I am trying to accomplish.
4. If there were one character development trait I needed to focus on all year long, it would be patience.
5. I have not found a good balance of how much time I spend with technology.
6. I have a favorite.
7. I lose it. Sometimes I just do.
8. I am convinced that my parenting tips are good. I wouldn’t write them if I didn’t think that. However, sometimes I struggle with implementing them. I try, but I definitely have times where I am slacking. Life goes so much better when I’m on top of it. Wish I could just stay there.
9. Sometimes photography gets in the way of the joy of the moment…especially when the camera is acting up. It couldn’t possibly be user error.
10. My kids cry and pitch fits.
11. My brain doesn’t work nearly as well as it used to.
12. 8:00 at night is my favorite time of day.
13. I need to make exercise a priority in my life.
14. There have been times I’ve wondered if I really want to be a stay at home mom.
15. I can look down on and relate to the woman in the grocery store yelling at her child, all in the same thought.
16. I’m excited for the time when my kids are all in school.
17. This blog wouldn’t be possible without my husband.
18. I love crafting as a kid. Having kids is the only thing that has brought it back. I really wouldn’t have called myself a “crafter” until this blog.
19. I sometimes ignore the quiet that inevitably means a disaster is happening just because I want a few more quiet moments myself.
20. I have had OCD moments of obsessing about pageviews.
21. I’m not a baby person. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a kid person. However, if you are not related to me, please don’t ask me to hold your baby.
22. There are times I haven’t felt like blogging. There have been times all I have wanted to do was blog.
23. There are times I don’t feel very meaningful.
24. Although the verses are the most important part of my character development series, I haven’t emphasized them enough.
25. I didn’t follow one blog until I started my own. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never heard of a link party, button, Alexa rating, CPM’s or anything.
26. I’ll complain about my kitchen/house being a disaster and then willingly destroy it for the sake of a craft, cake or activity. Then, I’ll complain again and wonder how I can never seem to keep things clean around here.
27. There have been some things I have had intentions of implementing, like the Saturday bin, and never follow through. Other things are going well. I still think it’s a good idea.
28. I stay up way too late. Mostly because it’s my only time without 3 little ones around.
29. I don’t do well with a high noise level. My kids are really loud.
30. Sometimes I am hopeful and excited about parenting. Sometimes I am discouraged and just getting by.
31. When I just had one child I thought it was hardest thing I had ever done in my life. Now when I have only have one child with me I think it is the easiest thing I have ever done. Perspective is amazing.
32. When a person without children says they are sick and just stayed in bed for a day, I’m envious.
33. Sometimes I have “clean your room” days where they are not allowed out until their room is clean. These are sometimes my favorite day. They get distracted. That means they stay in their room a long time.
34. I have thank you cards I still haven’t written for Christmas.
35. I’m addicted to paper towels.
36. Sometimes I really question my ability to be writing “parenting tips” as I see all the struggles in my own parenting.
37. I am excited about sharing this post because I’ve always wanted to be real to you. I am scared to share this post because I don’t like being so human and worry that I will come across as a hypocrite.
Jodi, this is seriously one of the best blog posts I’ve ever read. THANK YO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for being so real. I have sooooo many of these same struggles. And you know what? I’m TOTALLY not a baby person either. Bravo to you for being so real. It’s always so nice to know we’re not alone on this journey.
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Kristi. I’m pretty much an open book, but it is still humbling to write it all down and put it out there for the world to read. It is nice to get some feedback from my readers on this one to let me know I’m not alone. Thanks!
WOW! I can’t even tell you how amazing it was to read this. THANK YOU! If I were to write a list of my struggles as a mother, this would be it. It is really great to know that I am not the only one.
By the way, your blog is absolutely incredible! I am so unbelievably excited I stumbled upon it.
Thank you so much, Sarah. I just did a talk at MOPS and something I said was that the problem with online moments is that they are just that…moments. I think people start to idealize other people’s lives based on what they see online or even in public. They don’t see all of the day to day realities and struggles in this really tough job as a mom. I got a lot of response from this post because I think A LOT of people can relate. Trust me that you are not alone! I’m so glad you found me. Thanks for stopping by here and commenting!
This is the kind of post you write and pray that people comment because of exactly what you said in the last point. I relate to almost all of these…especially regarding blogging and balance. Just know you aren’t alone 🙂 I especially the enjoyed the one about loud children…my 2 year old seems to operate on max volume all of the time….it makes me a little crazy! And I definitely enjoy a few quiet minutes before I go figure out what they are up to….it’s delaying the inevitable so might as well delay a few more moments 🙂
Thank you so much for commenting, Laura. You’re right in that I do want people’s feedback on this one. It’s amazing how much response it is generating. I think this job is just hard and it’s helpful to get it out there and relate to other moms. I think we can be particularly hard on ourselves because parenting can bring out our biggest flaws. I never knew how much I had to work on until these three entered my world. I guess it’s a refinement process.
I always appreciate it when a fellow mom and blogger shares some of the same struggles that i have. My house is a disaster and though I have been on “break” all week that has not changed one bit!! I have been playing around with pic monkey though!! Lol! Motherhood is a wonderful journey, but it is filled with moments that can leave me feeling a bit worn down and less than perfect. It’s nice to know I”m not alone. Thank you!!! 🙂
Ah – Love Pic Monkey! You’re definitely not alone, and I can relate to feeling less that perfect. I too often compare myself to others and be critical of my own journey. I guess when it comes down to it, it is a journey and we are all being refined through it. Thanks, Kathy! Gonna miss Bon Bon Break too. You all did well!
This is your best post yet! Thank you Jodi for your vulnerability! I can so relate to everything you wrote! Thankful for you and the many gifts and talents God has given you!
Love you my friend!
Thanks so much, Andrea. It’s a good to hear from a good friend who knows me so well. I am so thankful for you and am going to miss you!
Best post yet! It’s real and I can totally relate which is awesome! I am struggling to find balance in the blogging and parenting area right now so I could actually relate to pretty much all of it…thanks for making me smile this afternoon!
I’m so glad I made you smile. It can be hard to be so vulnerable…not because I am not willing to share, but it’s so revealing to myself as I write it all down. I am so happy to find that others are relating. I guess it’s just all part of the journey of refinement. Thank you so much for commenting.
I love your blog and enjoy getting each post. Some brilliant ideas and excellent recipes. However this is my favourite blog post of yours. It says what we all feel every day when being a Mum to three small children. Well done you!
Thank you, Erin. It has actually been really encouraging to get people’s response to this post. I think it hit such a chord because it is just a pretty natural experience for most moms. I am really thankful you took the time to write, and thank you for your sweet words!
I can relate to EVERYTHING on your list!
Thanks so much for sharing that. It is so nice to know we aren’t on this journey alone. It’s just quite a challenge with its ups and downs. I’m praying this intense time of training pays off down the road.
Wow…I could have written practically every one of those truths. You are not alone (and I’m glad I’m not either.) Hugs xx
You’re not alone! This post actually has received quite a response from a lot of moms who can relate. I guess all of those feelings are just part of being a mom. Thanks so much for writing, Gina.
I feel you on so many of those! patience is definitely one of my downfalls too. Some days the person on your blog doesn’t feel real at all; then three are the days that make up for all of it!
Thanks, Ashley. I’ve always wanted to be real. My sister even asked me, “Is the blog really what life is like for you?” I think she meant do we spend all day doing crafts and making life look like rainbows and unicorns? I never mean it to come across like that. Yes, all the pictures and moments are real. The point of the blog is to give people tools to implement with their own kids. Since I don’t consider myself a writer I haven’t done many personal reflection posts. My friends and family know all the ins and outs of the successes and the struggles. It is harder to get all that across on the blog when it is mostly a compilation of ideas. I’m realizing it is helpful to be candid about all the moments you don’t see also. The blog was born out of me finding this job more challenging then I ever imagined. It continues to challenge me and refine me in so many ways. I know parenting will never stop doing that. What a journey.
I don’t consider myself much of a writer either, but sometimes I surprise myself. I think it is great that you were able to be so candid. People need to see that bloggers are real people too rather then comparing themselves to what they think othes are. I am guilty of that too. Thanks again for sharing!
We’re definitely real people. I am so glad I wrote this post to be able to be candid and help others feel like they’re not alone on this crazy journey. Thanks.
Thanks for your post! It’s so nice to know that i am not the only one who thinks these things. I share in your frustrations, and I know from reading your blog from sometime now, that I have learned from you and share in your successes with making your family great. Thanks for all you do,
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Amy. I’m glad this post was helpful in relating to other moms on this journey. I guess my feelings are pretty natural. It’s a hard job we have, and I always see ways for improvement. It is so nice to know I’m not the only one out there with these feelings.
I like you even better after reading this! I had only one, my house was a wreck, and I was often hanging by a ragged thread. But guess what? My son and I both survived, and he is a wonderful young man. We must strive to do our best, but give yourself a break. If we’re honest, we all feel that way. a lot. Keep up your good work.
I am always encouraged my moms who have felt the same way with young ones but can see the fruits on the other side. Thank you so much for your really sweet words.
Thank you for posting. I can relate to this so much. It is nice to see these words in print. Very encouraging.
It was hard to put these words in print. I felt like I was writing down a bunch of my ugliness that is hard to face myself. I’m just so glad I did because it seems it has been an encouragement to others. I think we all do a lot of comparisons with others, so it helps to know that it’s just a challenge we are all facing to some degree.
Great post. I really enjoyed reading it!
Thanks so much, Alli. We should really try and connect sometime. It would be really fun to see you.
Thanks for posting this. So many of them are me, on a day-to-day basis. It’s refreshing to see all you tips that you give, but to have also admit that they don’t all work or that you aren’t able to implement them. My house could be cleaner, my kids better at cleaning up, but, there are days when I just don’t feel like enforcing things. Or, I would rather spend the time with them playing and learning then cleaning,
Thanks, Becca. It’s so great to know that I’m not alone in some of my feelings and experiences. It’s a hard job and a hard balance to create, and we’re all just trying to improve in this role. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Jodi!!!
This is an awesome post!!! I related to soooooooooooo much of what you said! I laughed, nodded my head and smiled a lot while reading it. I too feel like the little people in this house destroy all my cleaning efforts. I too try to implement new parenting tips and do well for a while and then fall off the “wagon”. I too wonder what life will be like when all mine are in school, which is still years away for me. 🙂 I have always felt you’ve been real with your readers, but this was an awesome post! Thank you for sharing your heart.
It’s funny, Trina, I thought of you as I was posting this. I kind of had you pegged as someone who wouldn’t be able to relate to some of these thoughts. It is encouraging to know that other moms are feeling the same things. Thank you so much for commenting!
HI again Jodi! Oh wow, why would you have me pegged as someone who wouldn’t be able to relate? I wonder if I’m not transparent enough on my blog. I too am humbly trying navigate this awesome, yet daunting journey of motherhood. Some days are harder than others, tonight was one of those days. As soon as my kiddos hit the hay I hit the hot bath asap! Thanks for all you do and all of your amazing posts and honesty. Hugs!
Girl, it’s like you interviewed me! 8, 12, 15, 17-21… actually, everything! <3
That’s so funny! I am finding that more people can relate than I imagined, and it’s really encouraging in an odd way. I think we all assume everyone else has it all together. Thanks so much!
I can relate to so many of the items on your list. I have really enjoyed following your blog and getting excited about all your ideas, filing them away … only to rarely, if ever, execute. Mainly because I have a 6 yr old, 4 yr old, 21 mo old, and a 4th due in 2 weeks and honestly, i just struggle to get thru the day! There are times that I get down, looking at what all these other moms are doing and then blogging about it and I think, why I am such a failure? I am terrible at this. My poor kids. Etc.
So, THANK YOU, for being so transparent. Blessings to you!
You are in the thick of it, and I’m sure you are far from a failure. I think we all fall in the trap of comparing ourselves to others. I know I do that too, and it only leads to discontentment. I’m glad it was helpful to be transparent. I see so much of my blog about equipping parents with ideas that I often forget to share the real struggles that are going on behind the scenes. I’m no super mom and am just trying to navigate it all just like you are. Thanks so much for commenting.
You must be my long lost twin…or at least I totally understand every one of these points. Thanks for being real. There are very few people who are honest about these things and it makes me feel not quite with it. My house was always clean “before”. Now I leave a room spotless only to see it 5 minutes later a huge mess…the last time I cried as well…friends coming and suddenly it looked like every bedroom had not been cleaned….ever. I did what my sister taught me, bedrooms are off limit unless they are clean. Doors shut. No entry. Living room, dining room, kitchen easy to clean, and each child may go get three toys to share with your friends.
It does sound like we have a lot in common. As I have had a lot of response to this post, it sounds like moms, in general, have a lot in common. It did feel good to get such great response because it had the exact same effect on me…as sometimes I wonder why I don’t have it all together. I guess it’s just part of being human and a mom. I totally have had to re-define myself in this role, and it has been quite a process. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
In addition to Monday Kid Corner Weekly Linky Party, this week’s theme is MUD. Brush off those archives and link them up at thejennyevolution.com. See you there! Jennifer
Thanks for letting me know.
Wow .. this is my first time coming to your blog and I am in love! LOL! I have these exact same feelings too, Literally I can relate to every single one of the bullet points. Especially #21. 🙂 Glad I’m not the only one! I can’t wait to check out the rest of your blog, I think I am going to love it! Thanks for sharing your real feelings.
Thank you so much, Lauren. Welcome to the blog world. I just poked over at your new blog. It’s quite a journey. Thank you for coming over and saying such kind words. I’m so glad you found me, and I hope we can keep in touch.