I’m not a Supermom, Just like all the moms around me, I’m just doing my best to raise awesome little humans.☺️

I’m not a huge fan of the phrase super mom, it actually makes me a bit uncomfortable. I feel what I do is not extraordinary. I’m just doing what many parents have done before me and will continue to do after me. In no way am I taking the credit away from moms (most are pretty amazing) But My mamahood is custom fitted for me and it’s different than the mom next to me, but the goal is the same.

I became a mother much later than some of my friends and family.  I watched and judged and thought whenever it’s my turn, I’ll rock this. The truth is, I was a perfect parent until I became a PARENT!  I had it all figured out, little did I know all my theories would go to shit when reality hit and it was my turn. I swore my kids would never co-sleep, never use pacifiers and be baby geniuses because I’d spend 2 hours a day teaching them. However, in the last four years, I’ve learned that being a mom is different for everyone, and my way is in no way better or worst, but works for me!

My way is by trying to over-prepare for every situation… and even then, things can go completely left 🙈

I have a brood of 4 children.. 14, 10, 4 and almost 3.. my oldest is a teenager, so these days he’s too cool to hang with his family. I’m sure teen and preteen parents can relate,  lol.

This post will focus on the little ones.

They all have different wants and needs and as the matriarch of my family, it’s my job to fulfill as many of those needs as often as possible. They’re active, very active, all of them. So, of course, my evenings and weekends are spent trying to fill up the time with activities that keep them busy, and hopefully exhaust them enough so they go to bed at a decent time and sleep thru the night without jumping into mommy and daddy’s bed! (That’s another post for another time 🙄)

I’m a strong believer that you don’t always have to keep your kids “busy”. They should get bored sometimes so they can learn to entertain themselves and foster imaginations like “we”did as kids. I don’t recall places like Indoor playgrounds, trampoline parks or bounce house heavens as a kid. I did a lot of playing under propped up sheets that I️ pretended were “castles” or imagined my mom’s couches were ships🚢   jumping from one corner to the other, avoiding the floor because it was the deep ocean and I couldn’t fall in or the sharks would get me! Fun times!!

These days there are so many opportunities to keep a kid busy. So, of course, there’s pressure to sign them up for sports, art classes, play dates etc because we also all know a bored kid easily turns into a whining mess.

Some of us research places, take recommendations from other parents and then make a plan for the day. Sometimes we have 1, 2 or even three parties on a weekend and you have a fully booked day with almost no time to get from one place to another.

Example: recently I had two parties and a Paw Patrol show all in one day. With two toddlers, sans husband, He was working.. this is how I survived it.

Preparation

Just like everything in life, preparing for a test, project or presentation more often than not will lead to a more successful outcome. You go in feeling more confident and usually nail it. Now, I wasn’t always a good study, I was “Queen Wing it” but absolutely have experienced the difference between both and more often than not when I prepare, I win.

I try to start the night before. I prep outfits and “just in case outfits” plus an extra set. Yes, I travel with at least two extra ensembles each. Why? I want to be prepared for any possible mishap. ie: kid gets Carsick and throws up, ie: Kid wants ice cream or a blow pop and stains his well thought out outfit, ie: Kid doesn’t need to pee when we leave the house, but the second we get on the highway he’s bursting and I don’t get him out in time and pees his pants and sometimes my shoes. All have happened to me! So extra clothes are a must. If we think we’ll be home past bedtime, a pajama gets thrown in as well!

PS. Stylish yet comfortable clothes are an absolute must in our home. My kids are far from the angels they seem in my Instagram Squares and while I always want them to look put together, comfort outweighs style most times. Zara, Gap, Ralph Lauren and HM have the best options. 

Food

My kids are picky eaters, and I have a daughter that suffers from diabetes so even if we’re going to the mall I take a bag of snacks and liquids. The reason is two-fold. I make sure they have something they like, and I’m not in the mood to buy food that’s usually double the price outside. I tote around with semi-healthy snacks and fun goodies. Bargaining with a kid when your trying to get somewhere or leave a party can be hell at times, you want to be prepared for the meltdown.

Car Entertainment

My boys have had their own iPads since they were months old. (pause ✋🏽 on judgement.. I️ know many parents hate kids who have access to screen time but it works for us as a reward. Also, technology is a reality of the modern age, so if parenting for me means that tv or YouTube kids lets me get shit done from time to time, or allows for a smooth car ride in traffic, so be it!

 

Resturants

Dining out with kids especially toddlers is hit or miss. Our family’s philosophy is they’re kids, they have to learn to eat out in public. So we’ve been taking them since they were babies, most times they are very well behaved, other times there’s a meltdown, maybe two. When that happens one of us takes them out calms them down, or yup, the iPad comes out! We both Win!

Finally

This post is to speak to the other parents or people who think “wow, she’s got it together” umm no, just barely! I’m learning as I go just like you.

Truth is, your kid is going to be complicated and tormented and amazing like every other human that walks this earth, so trust your instincts. The only person who knows what your child needs is YOU! Go on with your badass self, be the best parent you can be, and the rest will fall into place.

Until next time,

Lioness