278 - Not "Normal" Parenting

I received an email the other day and it honestly had me in tears. It was from a listener of the podcast who reached out to thank me for being so open and honest about the struggles of motherhood in episode 261, "My Personal Seven-Year Transformation." She also talked about her own challenges that she faces on a daily basis as a mother of three boys, one of whom was born with a very rare, life-threatening disease. As you can imagine, she is not your everyday mother. What many of you find normal, she does not. You ARE The Mother That Your Children Need The subject line of this email read, "All I ever wanted to be was a mom." When I first read that, I was immediately hooked. As many of you know if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, I shared the same dream when I was younger. I always wanted to be a mother and I knew I could relate to the sender almost immediately. We all have an idea of who we will be as a mother. But, more often than not, that vision never comes into view. I am keenly aware many of you have never been able to birth a child... like me. Which makes posts like these about parenting, or announcements about our Mother's Day coupons, hard to hear. It is also why the 100 Day Home Organization Program doesn't organize kids, it organizes YOU... any woman in any size dwelling. For me, when I found out I couldn't get pregnant, I hit a roadblock and it almost floored me. But, I steered off that path and made a new path to motherhood. My own path. Adoption turned out to be my road to motherhood and I wouldn't have it any other way. Motherhood Is Never What We Anticipate... Easy Or Hard Let me share a few lines from her email: "Our boys are not typical. Our oldest was born with a very rare disease and will most likely not make it to 18. Each time he gets a cold or any type of illness, it can cause brain damage. He has spent a good portion of his life in the hospital as we fight to give him the best chance he has." As you can imagine, not many mothers prepare themselves for such a heart-breaking and difficult roadblock. How can you prepare for something like that? You can't. It's so easy to doubt your ability as a mother, but you ARE the mother your child needs you to be. Motherhood might not look or feel the way you thought it would. But it doesn't matter. This is your story as a mother, and you are the mother that your children need. Parenting A Child With Additional Needs Whether your child has learning or physical disabilities, your role as a mother becomes so much harder when faced with more than the everyday parenting challenges. For me, the hardest part of mothering was stepping into and owning the mother my children needed me to be and not the mother that I thought I would be. If you are struggling with the weight of your mothering right now, listen to this week's podcast. Don't let society's expectation and what everyone else is doing change how you view your child, your relationship with your child, and what your child needs. You've got this and I'm right there behind you. Happy Early Mother's Day! Still looking for a gift for your mom or what to ask for yourself? We created Mother's Day coupons you and your family can use to give the perfect Organize 365 gift! View the full post here: https://organize365.com/not-normal-parenting/