A little bit late but I saw this in my drafts and didn’t get to finish the last line. So here goes something for all moms.

Last year, I wrote my first mom’s day reflection , I didn’t get to write one while I was pregnant though. So this year, mother’s day is another new  milestone as I celebrate it as a mom of 2. I feel so blessed and thankful for the gift of these 2 kids who made our lives different and help us better people through the new roles we take on as parents. Being a mom of 2 feels the same but different. I feel I need to take care of more lives now and life is more complex in a fulfilling way. I used to feel that my life before was so busy and complicated (when I was working and married) when we needed to pay our bills and build our home but that’s actually just the training ground for more things ahead of us.

So this year, to add to my previous year’s learnings, I have learned so much more about life and parenting. Too many and everyday we are still learning. It will actually never end. As life gets more interesting with our children, I have learned to appreciate the basic and simple things in life and being a full time, hands on stay-at-home-mom to my kids is the best decision I have ever made and as I see them grow everyday, I cannot fathom the idea of not being with them even just for a day (Yes, I am one clingy parent for now). As I witness so many milestones of my kids everyday, I am thankful to be beside them to capture them. I’m glad I have the chance to prepare meals for them plus witness and discipline their tantr ums too. It gets more exciting as they enter new stages in their lives. Our little girl will be in school soon and our boy’s turning a year old next month.

Let me share with you the best things I think moms need everyday with their own busy schedules. They have been helping me a lot. I hope it will help other moms too.

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Faith

We all gotta have faith on higher being that will inspire, motivate, and guide us. As a mom, I look up and pray to Mother Mary who serve as good role model to all moms. Her selfless yes to become Jesus’s mom is the key to the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s mission for the humanity. My faith gave me more strength as I go through motherhood- faith that make me trust the Almighty that we will blessed and guided everyday.

Best Teacher

I have my mom as my best and trusted teacher (of course, with a dash of social media learnings and from mom groups I belong to). Sometimes parenting in the city can get too complicated but if you have your style of parenting and know how you want to raise your children, everything will be okay.

I am proud to say my mom shares her experiences with me but is also techy enough to check online. It helps to have a young mom who’s almost like your sister. She had me at a young age so our age gap is almost the same as me and my sister’s age gap. Who’s your best motherhood / parenting teacher ? (you can also say Google because we can’t deny how technology is now playing a big role in parenting right?)

Thank you Mama for always guiding me in everything from conception up to now.

To-Do Lists

Yes, from pregnancy to being a mom of 2, I held on to my to -do lists as a guide on everything that needs to be done in the home, for the kids, for my husband, and even for myself. These to do lists may not all be done in the exact time frame I’ve set them but they serve as a guide to my future to-do’s too. Set realistic timelines and don’t make the mistake I always do- I don’t set timelines so I always put it tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. I’ve learned my lesson now.

The list keeps me sane and organized. For my to do lists, I use the Out of Milk app since being busy with 2 kids everyday gave me a hard time checking written To-Do’s. The only easy way to check my to-do list is tthrough my phone so an app is just right for me. For others who prefer to write them, use a notebook that will fit and is light for your bag so you can easily bring them anywhere.

Simplicity

In life, we always want the best of everything and the definition of best actually differ per person based on their background, culture, upbringing, experience, and preference (and a lot more). I’ve learned that some things are better off simple. It will lessen your stress, it will keep your thoughts simple too, and it will lessen your worries. Sometimes as new moms, we tend to overthink because we want to give the best of everything to our children and to our family. Sometimes if you end up spending to much time, money, and effort on the things that should be kept simple, we forget to focus on the more important stuff like health, family’s budget and savings, and many more.

Practicality

Practicality in this world is priceless. I salute moms who are practical in everything they do and maximize their life and experiences with practical moves. Being practical doesn’t mean you’re being too cheap and corny.Just know your priorities and everything will follow. Stay aligned with your partner on this.

This is another thing you can teach your children. If it comes as a second nature to them then the better. Living life in the fast lane these days entails strategic planning to make the most out everyday.

Patience (and lots of it!)

Life as a mom can get really tough. Yes, this is I think is an understatement. Life as a mom and a stay home mom especially can get physically tiring and draining. You always have to think of so many things non stop. When your an OC, perfectionist sty home mom, everything gets

A durable everyday bag

A durable and a bag that could match all of your everyday clothes is best. I have kids to run after or hold sometimes. I use a leather back pack now that contains so much for the kids like small toys, medicines, and more. At this point, I’ve kept the bags I don’t want to get deformed and dirty. I’m happy with bags that give me a lot of space and are durable enough to withstand 2 toddlers (imagine that! true test of durability!)

A time off

Yes, all moms whether they have small kids or adult kids need time off from her busy and non-stop chores, errands, and to-do lists. Just an hour for coffee maybe once or twice a week is good enough (well, for me). Date night is also a good time off from the busy week. But time alone is something I like doing now. Even at home, I try to find “alone times” may it be a couple of minutes to an hour. It’s a good way to refresh. Find what relaxes you and do it regularly. It helps lessen bad moods, impatience, and chaos in your minds.

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There might be a lot of other things you think moms need but the above mentioned stuff are just some of the things that are very helpful for me. You can even add a good support group for mom. I have my mom groups and friends to keep me in the know of parenting today. It’s good to hear what other parents are experiencing and learning from those too. Join play groups too so your child will interact early and know how to socialize. A lot of moms today organize play groups and they plan activities for the play dates. I love seeing moms helping moms.

Let’s make everyday mom’s day and let’s tell our moms how thankful we are for them and hug them tight and say you love them.