Small Changes that Will Make You a Better Mom

As a mom, you might be perfectly comfortable with your role or you might sometimes question yourself. Most moms spend at least a few minutes each day questioning themselves, wondering if they should let their kids have this or not let them have that. There’s a little insecurity every single day when it comes to parenting, and oftentimes, parents wonder if they could be better parents. Here’s the deal, provided you aren’t abusing your kids in any way, shape or form, you’re doing okay. If they’re happy, healthy and well-taken care of, you’re doing all right. However, if you really want to be a better parent, try these things.

Ignore the Dishes

No, not forever; they need to be washed unless you want to live in complete squalor (which, by the way, does not make for good parenting). However, you can ignore the dishes for a few minutes in favor of playing an intense game of hide and seek or Bingo or reading a book with your little one. They’re only this age once. One day, you will both look back at their childhood and remember the crazy fun you had, not how long the dishes sat in the sink after dinner.

Take a Deep Breath

It’s hard, on occasion, not to want to flip out when your oldest kid smacks your youngest one upside the head for the 17^th time that day. However, instead of losing your cool, yelling, spanking or threatening, take a deep breath and approach the situation without your anger. Yes, you still need to discipline your child, but you don’t need to do it while you’re angry and prone to overreacting. He will learn far more when you are calm and fair than he will when you’re angry and overreacting, mom.

Forget Perfection

So you’re a neat freak and you like things a certain way (guilty!) but your child is most certainly not a neat freak. Her room is a little messy and her hair always looks like it’s been brushed as recently as a month ago Tuesday. You can’t make your toddler a neat freak, so forget perfection and just learn to accept her for who she is, even if it means you are constantly reminding her that her toys do not go under her bed, or your bed, or in the potty.