Mom Scouts

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to receive some tangible recognition for all those hard motherhood moments, triumphs, and difficult mom situations you have been through? Well, fellow moms, I have a proposal for you: Mom Scouts. It would be like Girl Scouts (sadly without the cookies), but badges would be earned by surviving challenging moments as a mom.

We already have a sort of unofficial Mom Scout uniform — yoga pants, water cups, diaper bags, and oversized t-shirts — so why not clip some badges on those Lulu crossbody bags?

I know we do it all because we love our families and motherhood really is rewarding. I don’t think any of us would trade being a mom for anything — badges or no badges — but when I survive one of those terrible, scary, or even gross moments as a mom, I find myself checking off the “badge” I have earned in my brain. Most of the time, it helps me feel a sense of pride in a role that continually humbles me. I may not have handled all my badge-worthy moments perfectly, but even just getting through a tough or stressful moment deserves a mom badge.

For example, here are some of the badges I have earned:

• The I cooked supper while holding a screaming toddler badge
• The I got puked on but didn’t puke too badge
• The I successfully took multiple kids to the grocery store without a stroller badge
• The I survived the car pick-up line for the first time badge
• The I handled a potty accident at the zoo badge
• The I potty trained twins badge
• The I successfully cleaned puke out of a car seat while on a road trip badge
• The I ate at a restaurant with my kids for the first time badge
• The I took my twin toddlers to a park solo badge
• And this oddly specific but true one: The both tubs got pooped in during bath time, and someone peed on the floor while I was trying to clean the poop up but I survived badge

Motherhood can be tough, and one of the wildest things about it is how much moms do without thinking twice simply because it’s our job. We mop up puke, wipe noses and bottoms, multitask like pros, and do lots of other things that our pre-mom versions could never imagine doing. All of those moments in which we serve our families are moments we should be proud of.  

So, until we can get all the details worked out and make Mom Scouts official, moms, do me and all other moms a favor: when you have one of those badge-worthy moments, give yourself the credit you deserve. Be proud of the badge you earned and when you see another mom at the grocery store or at the park earning a badge of her own, give her a smile or an encouraging word because we are all doing our best. Moms deserve to be celebrated for all we do. Fellow Mom Scouts: I see you and I salute you.

What “badges” have you earned as a mom? Let us know in the comments.