Young Moms, You Are Doing Amazing

Older moms, let's be honest about raising children.

It's the hardest thing I have ever done.

It's also the most rewarding.

It's chaos in the middle of the night when someone is puking, and taking lukewarm baths at 3am to get the baby's fever down.

It's hugs and kisses and cuddles.

It's sometimes losing it and doing better the next day.

It's guilt and pressure and wondering if we are doing enough.

Sometimes it's a clean house and a spotless floor, but most often it's an overflowing laundry basket and crumbs on the floor.

It's late night talks and being mentally strong.

It's sleepless nights while trying to figure out how to nurse a newborn, and it's early mornings with the toddlers who refuse to sleep in.

It's breaking up fights and wondering if your kids will ever get along.

It's watching your adult kids become best friends.

It's worry and stress.

It's being well pleased when your kids make good choices for their life.

It's having a successful "mom moment".

It's failing daily.

It's saying the right thing at the right time and offering your child exactly what they need.

It's saying the wrong things at exactly the wrong time.

Younger moms are starting to ask me for advice. They watch my family, they see my kids, and they like how my kids are 'turning out'.

As an older mom, I never want to appear like my life is perfect. Like I have it all figured out. Like I am 'Mother of the Year' and I never mess up.

I want to be real with young moms. None of us have it figured out. None of us have it all together. We all struggle and wonder and worry and fail and get back up again. We yell at times. We are stressed out. We mess up and we make mistakes.

But as you raise one adult, and then another, and another, and they still love you and their dad and they love God and love church and love the people of God, then you start to feel a little secure in the way you are doing things.

So my advice?

Motherhood is messy. It's hard. It's stressful.

But the most important thing? Love God, love your husband, love your kids, and show them daily.

If it's all law and commandments, and love is missing, then it is a home of condemnation, and most likely, your kids will want out right when they turn 18.

If it is all love and no law, it is a home where chaos reigns.

Find the balance of love and law and love your family well.

Older moms, let the young moms know of your struggles. They don't need a mom who seems to know every answer to every question, and runs a boot camp at home and has it all together. They need to see that older moms struggle as well. They need to be seen and heard, not condemned or given unsolicited advice.

Sometimes, young moms just need to be told that they are doing a good job.

And young moms, you are.

You are doing amazing, and I want you to know that.