You are a mom. You are one of the most powerful people on the planet. You have millions upon millions of fellow mothers walking this road with you, before you, and ones yet to be. Yet, in spite of this, we draw battle lines over things that hurt hearts and damage friendships. We are so overly concerned with formula vs breastfeeding, organic vs non-organic, name brand clothing that babies will spit up on in five minutes, pricey car seats that have recalls just like the inexpensive ones, and mega trips to amusement parks so young that they won’t be able to ride the roller coaster for years and have not even taken their first step.
Yet we pride ourselves on opinion. On status. On the rights and the wrongs and the trophies and the mini-graduations. On the accolades and the praise. On the Pinterest-perfect pinatas and the homemade cakes you secretly cried over.
And all the while? These kids just want to play. They want to run, get dirty, and sweat. They want to roll in the grass without being cautioned about staining their toddler-sized khakis. They could care less if mama made their birthday cake or if it came from a supermarket. To them, it is sugar and friendships and kid juices with questionable ingredients.
Yet if we continue to draw lines in the sand over life-draining things like fast food and Paleo diets, they will begin to notice. And they will grow to be parents themselves, so discontent with the life they expected to have yet never came.
“The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” is a phrase of which we are all familiar, but the poem from which it is derived is a call to mothers everywhere that THEY are the change in the world. That the end to the so-called “Mommy Wars” begins with the moms themselves.
It begins with a smile instead of a sneer.
It begins with having a messy home with dishes in the sink and Batman underwear on the floor and inviting a friend over anyway.
And that friend loves no matter what.
It begins with the stay at home moms cheering on the working moms who celebrate the work at home mamas.
Some believe with all of their heart that climbing that corporate ladder will bring power and success, but remember that when we kiss those rosy cheeks at night and cover them tightly with a worn blanket that we have more power than we ever dreamed.
How will your children change the world? We are mothers. We love well and serve endlessly. We are on the same team. Break down those barriers and uplift a fellow mama today.
I agree completely that we need to see (and make use of) the power that we have as moms. I also think that we need to lighten up on ourselves! Our kids will not be permanently damaged if they don’t get into the best school program, take those lessons, or know how to read by age three. We don’t have to be super mom. We just have to be there. And sometimes that’s the hardest thing to get!
You girls are an inspiration.