I am NOT a bad mom.

I think being a mom is the most high pressured job ever. You are in charge of forming this little human into a respecting, confident, educated, knowledgable, content, God fearing, compassionate, determined, resilient, caring adult. We have to keep them safe and healthy and entertained all day every day. They have to know right from wrong, how to act appropriately in every situation that comes their way, how to avoid harm. Etc, etc, etc.

And yet, they come to us as babies. We have to teach them to do, literally, everything. Its amazing how natural it all comes to us in all reality. Some of it takes more direct effort and deciding how to handle situations even if it isn't the easiest way. We have to learn who they are and how that learn and apply teachable techniques to them in their own way. For me (and luckily my husband, too), raising our kids is our number priority in life. We are dedicated and devoted and determined. It is the deepest desire of our hearts to raise our children the best we possibly can.

One of the items on my "bucket list" is to 'truly earn the respect of my children.' When they are grown, leave for college, get married.....I want them to honestly respect me for who I am. Respect how I raised them and why. Respect what I taught them, but even more so that I actually lived it. Not a respect out of reverence or because they are "supposed" to. I want them, in their own choice, to respect me.

I am constantly being pro active on being a good mom so when I do something stupid or make the wrong choice I say to myself (or sometimes even out loud) "Oh my gosh, Im such a bad mom!"

What I decided, however, is that I am NOT a bad mom. I care too much.

I could NEVER be a bad mom. Making mistakes doesn't make me a bad mom. The fact that I love my kids more than anything in the world makes it impossible for me to ever  be a bad mom. I don't have it in me to be a bad mom. I think the only way to be a bad mom is to not care, or to be careless. Mistakes, however, do not make you bad mom.

So, the next time I (or you, if Im not alone) feel convicted over a poor choice or a brain fart moment in our parenting....don't allow yourself to even begin reciting the words "Im a bad mother." We are good mothers, doing our very BEST with our inexperienced but determined parental hearts.