Life can be difficult and exhausting with kids, but it’s mostly that we’re tough on ourselves. However, there are magic moments to be had, and we need to savor every last one.

Scenario 1

“Oh, are you tired? You should definitely take a nap my darling, let me massage your back for you too and as soon as you fall asleep, I will do the ironing.”

Scenario 2

“Are you feeling unwell? Go lie down, Mommy will make some chicken soup, clean the house, make ourselves dinner, bath, and make sure everything is ready for school and work tomorrow.”

No, this will not happen very often and for some it may never happen at all…

But…

If someone had to ask me what was the most difficult thing I ever did in my life, my answer would definitely have to be, raising a child. This is not because I found it tough in general but rather because we are tough on ourselves when it comes to raising our children.

We see ourselves as accountable for their actions, reactions and even to an extent, who they become. In essence, we take it as a reflection of ourselves – that is tough.

This is indeed a great sense of responsibility and this is what makes it challenging.

Now if it was easy, we would let them do whatever they wanted – eat what they want, drink what they want, sleep whenever they want. We would just leave them and wait for the outcome (I can see the large amounts of sugar consumed as I write these words).

It is limitations and boundaries that make it tough and rightly so. We have one of the most important jobs in the world and since when is something of such value, easy. The more we value something, the more we are involved – fact.

Let’s take a garden for example. The more we tend to it, nurture it, love it, water it, feed it, the better it will grow. Without this guidance and work, it will either perish or become disheveled. 

We are human. We have great days, mediocre days and at times we have those days where we feel drained. On those days, I struggle. We all struggle, but how do we regain strength?

When I see my child, I don’t know what happens but as soon as I see his face after a long or demanding day, everything else dissipates. I think what makes it even more rewarding is knowing that he feels exactly the same way. Will this continue forever? I can hold onto this hope. Maybe not, but we can sure enjoy it while it lasts.

We have all had those magical moments at some point in life, let’s hold onto them. As Sophocles once said:

Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life.