Bee a Working-Stay-at-Home-Helicopter-Single-Republican-Democrat-Fill-In-the-Blank-Mom

I have finally come to some acceptance that I am a working mother.
Now, that's pretty convenient in light of the fact that my youngest just started Kindergarten.
The pressure to be a stay-at-home mom is a little less.
No more feeling guilty over missing play groups, park dates, MOPS meetings or having that special Sesame Street time together mid-morning.
Fewer "How do you do it?" inquiries in a tone that is more accusation than compliment.
Less internal battles over the stay at home vs. working mother guilt wars.

Wow.

Do I wish I had more stay-at-home time? You bet.
Do I have regrets? Wish I didn't but I do.
Do I feel I miss out? The fact is, I did and I will.

What have I learned from this?

Being a mother is filled with the best intentions, effort and decisions we can make at the time.
We are hard-wired at the birth of our first to make choices in favor of our child's best interest.
I’ve wasted a lot of energy trying to be a working-mom who tries to do all of the stay-at-home-mom things simultaneously and perfectly.
Doing things is not the same as being a mom.
All moms are doing the best they can at the time with what they know to be true for their children.

So...

I haven't really come into some acceptance that I am a working mother at all. What I have come to accept is that I am Just-A-Mom.

Being Just-A-Mom trumps working mom, stay at home mom, strict mom, lenient mom, helicopter mom, independent mom, single mom, and the list goes on. Just-A-Mom is just enough for our kids. They know that and we would be better served to know that too. These young years go by fast, embrace yourself with the love that your children embrace you.

One day, I will have a heartfelt and incisive examination of this time in my life. Right now, I simply don’t have the time…
…being just a mom and all.

Bee Thinking:
Psalm 90:12

Song of the Hive:
Wash Away
Artist: Joe Purdy