10 Things That Are Easy About Being a Mother

There’s a lot about being a mom that’s hard.

Don’t get me wrong. I know it’s a blessing to bring a child into the world. Children bring hope and joy and laughter and show you just how much love you can have for another human being.

But there are parts of being a mom that are hard…

…like giving up sleep. It starts when you bring them home from the hospital as a newborn, and continues through teething, potty training and nightmares. And then it morphs into staying up late as you wait for your teenager to come home at night.

It’s hard to discipline...to decide what offense merits what punishment. You have to set boundaries and then enforce them. And who wants to get up and correct their child for the umpteenth time when you’ve just settled down on the couch?

It’s hard to be patient. You endure one. more. sibling argument. And maybe some days you think you just can’t bear to hear “mom” yelled from the backseat or across the house ever again.

It’s hard to know what to allow when. From sleepovers (what age? only relatives? how much supervision? no sleepovers ever?) to when can I wear makeup/get my ears pierced/go on a date? Your child will often think they’re ready before you do, which can lead to a bit of a debate.

It’s hard to be consistent and stand firm in your decisions…especially if it seems your child is the only one who “has to” or “can’t” do something.

It’s hard to bear the responsibility of parenting, to be concerned about how your child’s doing in their relationships and academics and moral decisions.

Just writing all this out makes me feel tired! It sounds a little overwhelming. But then I’m reminded of the sweet parts – the easy parts – of motherhood.

So what’s easy about mothering?

1. Wanting the best for our children. I think every parent instinctively wants their child to have an easy road. We want to spare them from heartbreak and pain. We know that dealing with difficulties is part of maturing, but we do what we can to give our children good things.

2. Being amazed that your child is a unique individual with a distinct personality. Okay, sometimes this throws us for a loop – especially if they’re way different than we are – but it’s a wonderful thing to watch them develop into their own person.

3. Standing up for them. Protecting and defending our children is a natural part of motherhood. It’s also easy to take this too far in some cases…but our mama bear nature and instincts help to keep our children safe.

4. Sharing about our mom-life with fellow moms. Moms always seem to bond over parenting, especially when they’re in similar life stages. Nobody understands us like someone who’s walking through the same things.

5. Being proud of our children. This is especially true when we know how hard they’ve worked to achieve something. Seeing their diligence and perseverance pay off is so rewarding.

6. Connecting over shared interests. Whether it’s a sport they play or one you watch together, it’s fun to have conversations that you’re both invested in. It could also be about a book you both read and loved, shopping at a certain store, or baking a cake together.

7. Praying over them. I find prayer comes most naturally when they’re facing a hard situation at school or struggling in a relationship or driving off in the car alone for the first time. In situations that I can’t control (I guess that would be all of them??!), praying for them comes easily.

8. Listening to them share their hopes and dreams. I want to soak it all in when they give me a glimpse into their heart. Their secrets and confidences mean they trust me with what matters most to them.

9. Laughing with them over something we both think is funny. I love sending my girls memes or jokes or puns – pretty much anything that I think will make them laugh.

10. Loving them. There can be times we don’t like them very much, but our love for our children is never in doubt.

So yes, being a mom can be hard…but the easy parts make it so worthwhile!

Related posts:

• Grace for the Gaps in Our Parenting
• 12 Things I’m Glad I Did as a Mom
• 10 Ways to Manage All Those Hopes and Dreams We Have for Our Children