Being a mum means being at least two different things at any given time. You’re the rule maker, the cook, the comforter; the manager, the wife and the mediator. It means multi-tasking to the max. It means taking the good with the bad and seeing both sides to every story.
One mum took to social media yesterday to share an eloquent and powerful piece on what it feels like for her to be a mum and we (along with the rest of the internet) have been clapping our hands and stamping our feet in recognition. Because being a mum isn’t about being this or that. It’s about being both.
Although a SAHM is rarely alone, she can be very lonely. And although she can be sick of being on her feet all day, she can also need nothing more than a twenty minute walk to get some air. Liz Petrone’s post is so applicable to this day and age when parents are constantly pulled in a million different directions from childcare, to diet, to school, finances and work. All of this, plus the new lives that need to be nurtured and cherished can have parents losing sight of their own lives, and the person they were before their children. And while they wouldn’t change their children for the world, they can also mourn the life they once had.
Liz Petrone a wife and mother of four babies ‘of questionable cleanliness’ writes at Liz Petrone.com. You can find her original post on Facebook here. She begins by saying “I am both.” and has since connected with mums and parents around the globe with nearly 1000 likes and over 300 shares (so far!).
Her frank, honest and reflective post ended by voicing the thoughts that parents all go through, each and everyday from the moment they bring their babies home from the hospital to the day they move out. And we couldn’t agree with her more.
But what do you guys think? What are your thoughts on being a parent (SAHM or otherwise)?
maternity&infant
All images and quotes are sourced from Liz Petrone’s Facebook and Instagram page.