Present Motherhood: Mothering In A Distracted World

Present Motherhood: Mothering In A Distracted World

Present Motherhood. What does that even mean in today’s distracted world? If you read my goals last week, you know that my word for 2018 is being PRESENT. The one area I believe that will reap the most positive results from this is my motherhood. From the time I wake in the morning until the time I go to sleep at night, there is something always vying for my attention, and that is not always just George. Cell phones, social media, blog deadlines, teaching lessons, keeping the house going and getting Chris to school most mornings are just a few of the things that me weekly schedule intails. I am sure your schedules are similar.

I have pondered a lot over the past week about what present motherhood looks like for us moms. We are all in different stages with different age kiddos. You may be in the season of ball game practices, music lessons and dance recitals. Your day could look more like mine, trying to keep a toddler happy and find ways to entertain them while the snow piles up outdoors.

I feel extremely blessed to have an amazing mom who made present motherhood look easy. She is still modeling this years after we have left home. Watching her be a mom has taught me more about motherhood than any book ever could. So what have a learned from her?

Be a Listener. There is definitely a time to offer advice, but sometime just being a listening ear is all it takes to be in the present moment of motherhood. George cannot hold a conversation just yet, but it is amazing the times I give him my undivided attention how he chatters on and on about things. I’ve gotten pretty good at picking up random words here and there! 🙂 I can only imagine how important this will be as the years go on and the conversation gets deeper.

Put the to-do list on hold. I saw this time and time again growing up. My mom is a very driven person when it comes to getting things accomplished and knocking out a to do list, however it was never at the expense of spending a moment with us kids. Oh how this is a constant reminder to me when I feel as though I am strangling under the weight of getting something done and G just wants me to play. Of course there is a times to teach him to wait, but most of the time 5 minutes is not going to kill me. Showing your child that they are more important than tasks shows them you are present in this motherhood journey. After all , you would not be on this journey if it was not for them. 🙂

Present Motherhood can also show up in physical affection. There are days where I notice George getting frustrated with a something he cannot figure out and his little shoulders slumped in defeat. If I am distracted, I will miss that opportunity to give a hug and word of encouragement. Being present and aware of his frustrations offers me the opportunity to be in his world and him recognize that I am there for the smallest and biggest challenges.

Being present in these early years of Motherhood will pay off when the problems have gone from building Legos to combatting bullying comments at school. Showing your child that they are worth your time and undivided attention now will be the key to building a lasting relationship over the years. So for 2018, I am purposing to listen more, put my to do list on hold more and ramp up on my hugs and kisses. How about you?

Present Motherhood

Present Motherhood: Mothering In A Distracted World

Present Motherhood: Mothering In A Distracted World

Present Motherhood: Mothering In A Distracted World

Present Motherhood: Mothering In A Distracted World

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10 Comments

  1. Danielle
    January 8, 2018 / 4:33 pm

    Although I’m not a momma myself, I can totally relate to how important these are!

    xx, Danielle | Pineapple & Prosecco

  2. January 8, 2018 / 4:45 pm

    This is such a sweet post! I pinned this for later so I can read it if I ever have children. Thank you!

  3. January 8, 2018 / 9:08 pm

    Great timing for this post, not just because it’s a new year but because it’s been on my mind non stop. I’m a mother of a beautiful 2 1/2 yr old boy and about to give birth to my second boy and being present is so important and at the same time becomes so difficult when you’re running your own blog, business and home. What I try to remind myself the most is that when all Is said and done nothing matters more than this time I will never get back with them. It’s also important to remember we live in a time that is so dependent on the Internet and Social media, a lot of things may be easier for us than it was for our moms but at the same time we face different challenges. Thanks so much for these tips, they truly came in handy x

  4. January 8, 2018 / 9:14 pm

    Being present is so important! We all get so caught up and distracted with everything going on that we forget to be present. Great post!

  5. January 9, 2018 / 12:36 am

    Love this! So important to always be mindful of ways to be present each day.

  6. Ruth Ridley
    January 9, 2018 / 5:28 am

    Putting the to-do list on hold is the hardest for me!! I can relate to all of this love!

  7. Liz
    January 9, 2018 / 5:06 pm

    Love this post! Thanks fir sharing what is important!

    Liz

  8. January 9, 2018 / 8:07 pm

    Such a great personal post. I love the concept of really staying present in the moment!

  9. January 11, 2018 / 12:15 am

    Being present and being a listener is definitely important when raising kids. You seem like a great mother and your mother was amazing as well!