Being a mum often gets a bad rap – you can’t open a newspaper (or a web browser, who am I kidding about newspapers!) without reading some mum complaining about her lot.
I should know, I’m a serial complainer myself; I write a lot about some of the suckier parts of being a mum on my blog Toilets aren’t for Turtles. But being a mum is also the most beautiful, brilliant and breath-taking part of my life.
Motherhood for me is a series of moments, big and small, that make me stop and think “OH! This is why I’m here! This is my purpose!”
So setting aside the dirty nappies and snotty noses for a few minutes, here are 8 reasons I love being a mum.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”1. Snuggles”]
Feeling your child’s warm, snuggly arms wrapped tightly around you, clinging for dear life, is the absolute best feeling in the world. You’re their rock, their safe place, their source of comfort and confidence. A quick hug (or a long one) serves to recharge and reconnect, for both of you. Cuddles are my lifeblood, my oxygen, I need them to get through the day.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”2. Adorable new words”]
My youngest is almost 22 months and is at that stage where he tries to copy everything anyone says. He’s a little parrot, and it’s so freaking cute it brings tears to my eyes. He tends to just copy a few words in each sentence he hears, so he’s like a little toddler interpreter, interrupting with his own version of what’s being said. His favourite word is ‘No’, but he’s got some delicious new ones in there, like “bapple” (apple), “mypad” (iPad), “cuggle” (cuddle) and “nee naw” (fire truck). “Wuv you mumma” is by far my favourite. Although his version of Twinkle Twinkle is a close second.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”3. Sing-a-longs”]
I love to sing, but before I had kids I would’ve felt a bit weird walking through the aisles of my local supermarket singing a song (unless I’d had a few of course!). But when you have kids with you, sing-a-longs are totally acceptable in all sorts of places! Feel the need to bust out a few verses of your favourite tune? Just look at the kids while you’re doing it and you’ll totally get away with it. We got a little round of applause the other day for an impromptu performance of Rock a Bye Your Bear in a lift at Westfield, it was brilliant.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”4. The freedom to be silly”]
Grownups can be boring, stuffy idiots a lot of the time. Why be so serious? Life is meant to be FUN! Hanging out with little ones gives you the freedom to muck around and act like a kid yourself, without worrying about who’s looking at you or judging you. Play dress ups, put on silly voices or do a crazy dance – whatever makes you (and the kids) happy!
[mc_block_title custom_title=”5. Watching… in awe”]
Watching my kids learn a new skill, or master a new concept, is totally awe inspiring. Seeing their little brains tick over, and go from confusion to frustration to understanding to finally grasping it – and seeing this happen several times a day – is awesome. And exhausting (for them, not me, I’m just watching)
[mc_block_title custom_title=”6. The incredible sense of pride”]
Sitting alongside the awe, is the astonishment and shock that these two little creatures are on this Earth because of me. And my husband of course. We made them. They are a part of us, and we of them. It’s one of those thoughts that doesn’t stay in my head for too long, it’s just too enormous to fathom.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”7. Seeing the beauty in the everyday”]
There’s nothing quite like going on a walk with a couple of toddlers. Every fallen leaf is a thing of beauty, every found snail, or caterpillar, or beetle, needs to be rescued. We come home with pockets full of ‘treasure’ from our adventures, and then draw pictures and make up stories about what we’ve seen. Their appreciation of nature is amazing – my 3 year old actually apologised to a tree the other day for stepping on its roots. Gorgeous.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”8. Bedtime”]
And I don’t just mean once they’re asleep! At the moment we’ve got a really lovely bedtime routine going on, so bedtime has become a favourite time of the day. Daddy takes the little man to bed, and they have a few raucous stories, songs and silly games, and I take Miss 3 and we have quiet stories (at least three – she’ll usually negotiate for four) – and snuggles in her bed. They’ve been some (a lot) of periods over the last few years when bedtime has been a battle ground, but for the moment, we’ve got it sorted, and it’s blissful. And of course, once they’re in bed, then they’re in bed, so it’s a win win this one.
What do you love about being a parent? Are you still in shock that you created new humans???
