A few years back, I found myself in a rather unexpected situation. I sent my partner a picture that no parent hopes to capture: the aftermath of my 2-year-old’s rather creative playtime with his own mess. As I heard the unmistakable sounds of furniture scraping across the tile, I felt a wave of dread wash over me. “Please don’t let it be what I think it is,” I whispered to myself as I opened that door—only to be met with a scene that exceeded my worst fears.
There I stood, utterly dumbfounded by the chaos that surrounded my little one. What on earth had happened? It was a reality check I didn’t see coming. I quickly whisked my little troublemaker to the shower, donned my cleaning gear, and got to work, all while my youngest wailed from his high chair. I was on my hands and knees, scrubbing away, feeling the weight of the day’s challenges crashing down on me.
In that moment, I thought, “I didn’t sign up for this.” Where was the fine print in the motherhood contract that included the clause about cleaning up after such incidents? Surely it was hidden somewhere between the endless rounds of “Twinkle, Twinkle” and safety talks about crossing the street. But deep down, I knew that accepting the role of a mother meant embracing every messy, chaotic, and difficult moment that came my way.
Fast-forward to today: my oldest is now 5, and my youngest is 3. Our parenting journey since that fateful day has been a wild ride. I’ve encountered tough challenges, moments of fear, and overwhelming sadness. Most days, I navigate through them with a sense of humor and a sprinkle of grace, feeling like I could conquer the world.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that I’m not invincible. We all have our limits, and some days are just harder than others. When I say I’m struggling with parenting, it’s not a competition. Many of you are facing battles I can’t even begin to comprehend. I often find myself reflecting on your challenges and sometimes feeling guilty about my own. It seems like we’re all caught in this endless cycle of comparing our lives, trying to one-up each other. Honestly, that kind of pettiness isn’t for me.
At the end of the day, despite our individual struggles and victories, we are all in this together. Wouldn’t it be so much simpler if we could support one another instead of competing for a nonexistent prize? I have my share of wonderful days and some truly rough ones, and I’m not afraid to admit that.
So here I am, sending out a heartfelt “We’ve got this!” to everyone out there. To those facing illness with their children, I salute you! To those navigating life with a loved one who has disabilities, I salute you! To anyone dealing with infertility, I salute you! If you’re wrangling a house full of kids ready for bedtime, I salute you! And to those fielding persistent questions about when you’ll have kids, I salute you!
To parents and non-parents alike, young and old, I stand with you. If you’re facing difficulties in parenting, at work, or in personal relationships, I salute you! And for those having a fantastic day, I’m joking—of course I salute you too!
Finally, if you’re reading this while your toddler is creating their own version of modern art with unmentionables, I’m right there with you—good luck. Now, off to whip up some pancakes for dinner, because we didn’t quite make it to the grocery store today, but there’s always tomorrow.
For more insights, check out our post on intracervicalinsemination.org, and if you’re interested in home insemination, consider browsing Make a Mom for at-home insemination kits. Additionally, UCSF’s resource on IVF could be valuable for those looking into pregnancy options.
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