New moms get asked all the time by their non-mom friends, “What’s it like to be a mom?” We have all asked our new parent friends! The curiosity of hearing what they have to say, is intriguing to most. But is the feeling of “being a mom” describable? That’ also tough to answer, as many moms will have many thing to say about raising a child, and the ups and downs that come with the responsibility of being a parent.
What we do know is that being a mom is hard. Obviously, right? We also know that being a mom is rewarding and forms a inexplicable bond between mother and child. We came across a beautiful post online from a mother who took the time to describe what it’s like to be a mom, in her own unique way.
Being a mom is holding your newborn in the dead of night as she cries and cries and cries and you cry and cry and cry because you’ve done everything that you know to do, and she is still wailing. You feel like you’ve failed her. You feel like she hates you. You feel frustrated and miserable and heartbroken, so you just hold onto her and cry together because if you don’t, you will sink. She is your anchor.
Being a mom is beautiful. It’s your daughter coming up to you while you sit on the couch, holding both hands out to you and saying with a smile, “Come on, Mama. Let’s dance.” You scoop that girl up and twirl her around your living room, warm summer air blowing through your open windows, blinds drawn back. You laugh and spin and don’t care who is watching because in that moment, no one else matters but that girl in your arms.
Click here to read the post in its entirety.
A recent Denver Post article suggests that parenting in moderation may have the best outcome for your child. According to the article, having little to no interaction with your child can have a negative impact, but we all already knew this. What is fascinating is that the article suggests spending too much time or investing too much of your energy on your child can also have a negative impact. Apparently, finding the right balance of interaction and time spent has the best results. A parent shouldn’t revolve their lives 100% around their child, the article states. This news could come as a welcomed relief to some parents who think it’s absolutely necessary to be involved in every single thing their child does. So what do you think? How much is too much with regards to parenting, and do you really think it makes a difference?
An excerpt from the article follows:
People often think that when something is good, then more of that thing is inherently better. However, many things in life healthy in small to moderate amounts become harmful in excess. Eating is necessary for survival, but overeating is currently leading to a national public health epidemic. The body also requires adequate rest, but too much rest becomes laziness. Even exercise, in excess, can lead to physical injury. We would like to argue that the same is true about parenting. It is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Research has clearly established that it is beneficial for children when their parents are involved in their education and activities. Many studies have pointed to the benefits of parents talking to, reading to, playing with, and providing their children with activities that help them develop and learn. In fact, early intervention specialists teach these very behaviors to parents of at-risk children because children with more involved parents tend to perform better academically, have more friends, and exhibit fewer behavior problems.
However, it is important to note that the benefits of parental involvement are found when researchers compare parents who are generally uninvolved with those who already play an active role in their children’s lives. When going from low involvement to moderate involvement, the benefits are numerous.
Read more:Parenting: Best done in moderation – The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_23207971/parenting-best-done-moderation#ixzz2TIoZOTyT
