5 Gifts for Mothers of Young Children

Today I finally got a shower at 3:30 pm!! My day started at 6:15 am. How could this be! I was reminded of the incredible work of countless mothers of infants and young children today. I was caring for my 4 grandchildren all under 3 with the help of several of my adult children that were coming and going. I remembered those days of waking early, dressing children, feeding, playing, laying them down to sleep, feeding, playing, napping again and then getting dinner on and ready for the rest of the family to come home.

Yes, it is different when you are the grandmother. I consider myself Version 12.0! My 11 children have exposed, pruned and grown me in ways that nothing else could. But even as I showered with the day half over I thought about what I wanted to say to you, my heroes!! Grab a cup of coffee and pull up a chair. I want to offer 5 gifts for you today:

• Permission to take care of yourself spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually and relationally. Time goes so fast. Please make time for this self-care. You will feel better and respond to all life throws at you.
• Permission to not be perfect in your mothering, housekeeping, etc. We are called to be faithful, not perfect. Be characterized most of the time by what you believe to be right, don’t be legalistic. What helped me as time went on was thinking about what I wanted my children to remember about their childhood.
• Permission to stay connected to your best friend, the father of your children. This is obviously for those that are married. Your kids will leave you, your husband stays till death do you part. You cannot separate this relationship from your mothering. If you really love your children, you will work hard at not drifting apart because of the busyness of life.
• Permission to be transformed through your children. Thank you for having them. Many couples today are choosing otherwise. They expose, prune and grow you in wonderful and sometimes hard ways! Be grateful to the Lord for every lesson they teach you!! God put you together as parent and child for a reason. He has a plan and so much of what I look back on now; I see He had way different priorities than I did as a young mother!!
• Permission to enjoy your children. Laugh lots with them. Build forts, make play dough, let them cook with you, play hide and seek, go on adventures even if is just to walk around the block. Say things like, ”I had you to be with you” and “Hurry home to me”!! Slow down and wait for them. Thank them for all God is teaching you through them!! Most of all, let them know your life will be forever changed because of the gift they are to you!!

Thank you again for mothering. I pray you will receive these gifts and be blessed by all those little ones God has entrusted into your care. What gifts are you giving yourself as you mother young children? Or what gifts would you give to a young mother coming up behind you? Let us hear from you!! And please share this with a mother that could use a gift today.