Mama, I see you. I feel you.
Your child is pulling at you for the hundredth time this hour. You want, no… need nothing more than five minutes of peace to sit and clear your mind. Just. Five. Minutes. Your soul is weary and your patience is thin. No one told you things would be like this. No one warned you about toddlerhood. Even if they did though, can we be honest? We wouldn’t trade our strong willed child for the entire world (although maybe somedays it feels like you would.. you’ve thought it. I just said it.)
I know the looks you get at the grocery store when your child is persistent he have that ball that he just chucked on the ground and is now in a temporary panic mode it’s no longer in his hands. I also know the comments you get from friends or family about your strong willed toddler. I know how debilitating the days feel sometimes. You’re tapped out and touched out. You wonder why your child won’t take a few moments to entertain themselves. You just want to make one cup of coffee without having to swaddle a baby doll or match puzzle piece to the puzzle.
You wonder “Am I the reason my child is like this?” “Are those remarks from family, and looks from strangers I get valid? Are they right?” Mama, I’m here to tell you. NO. They likely aren’t right. You’re doing a great job. Sticking to those guns of yours and raising this child how you see fit is enough. Your toddler doesn’t want an army sergeant of a mom, they want you. You’re letting them be a child. You’re allowing them room for mistakes. You’re allowing them chances to see you frazzled and they’re watching how you handle those moments (And if you can relate to this article because of your strong willed toddler, it’s likely that there’s many of those moments.)
One day, your home will be empty. Your baby will be grown up. The silence will be excruciatingly loud and yes, you may even long for at times, the chaos that morning cup of coffee brings, that’s likely cold. It’s okay to not love motherhood 100% of the time. You’re not a bad mom for feeling like your child is just straight up too much sometimes. You’re an awesome mom for having enough humility to admit it and still love your chid to the ends of the earth and back.
I know this blog post is sort of scattered, with no “real” direction, but if you have one of “these kinds” of toddlers, you likely can follow it. Also, can we make Strong Willed Toddlers an acronym? SWT. Let’s roll with it. Webster, are you getting this?
So, mamas of SWT’s 😉 here’s to sticking together, lifting each other up, and praying that our kids use their strong will for the good of this world and not to lead a gang in prison.
Blessings (& lots of Jesus, patience and coffee with this post), xo
Ashley
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