2/24 Blog: Temptations of a Busy mom
For those not in Cincy, today’s blog is the segment I gave on this mornings Fox 19 segment, enjoy.
This week we have all heard a ton about temptations. For most of us it was in Tiger Wood’s speech on Friday, and how he gave in to his cravings. For many Catholics we heard it in Sunday’s gospel about how the Devil tempted Jesus in the dessert. All of this caused me to reflect on what might be the temptations that working or busy moms might be experiencing and what advice could I give to help them not give into the temptations.
Temptation 1: Always putting the kids before yourself and your husband. This one comes with being a “mom” for most of us, just something that happens when we see his or her eyes for the first time. We melt, they own our heart and this often causes us to put them first. What we all need to remember is we can not properly care for children if we don’t care for ourselves. Your personal health and well-being is important if you want to be able to care for your children. We have all been sick and no how miserable life becomes, try to avoid that. Additionally, the best thing you can do for your children is to give them a healthy home filled with love. To do this you need a healthy relationship with your spouse or partner.
Temptation 2: Feeling the need to give your kids everything. Blame it on marketers like me, toy companies or Disney, but kids today have more than ever before. I am as guilty of this as anyone. Often we feel kids need more because they say “I’m bored” so we rush to get the latest and greatest toy or video game. A friend once told me that she rotates the toys so they never get bored. She simply would take a big box and take some toys away and put them in a closet. Then a few months later they would come out. It was like Christmas morning. Try this, or simply play the games with your kids so they enjoy them even more. Instead of setting up a play day with another child, make a family play date instead.
Temptation 3: To enroll your child in every activity Perhaps it is keeping up with the Jones’s syndrome or just society today, but most moms feel the need to put them child in every sport, art or lesson possible. Before you know it kids are booked every day of the week at least, sometimes with more than one activity on a day. This can lead to a lot of stress on the family. You’ll find yourself not only spending a lot of money on the activities themselves, which can cause stress, but also in eating out, the equipment, and more gas for all the pick-ups and drop offs. It can also lead you less family or personal time for you.
Temptation 4: To work a little harder or longer to get ahead. For many working moms we think, “If I just work a little harder, maybe that will get me the raise or promotion.” It is very easy to fall into this trap, heck we see our male counterparts doing it all the time. This is when it is important to think of your career as a long marathon versus a sprint. Try not to think about your career in terms of salary or title, but in terms of personal satisfaction and for what it provides you and your family. Set personal goals for each year, ones that lead you to feel fulfilled at work without putting too much stress on yourself. There will be a time when you can make your job a higher priority, but it is not when you have young children that are dependent on you.
This week we have all heard a ton about temptations. For most of us it was in Tiger Wood’s speech on Friday, and how he gave in to his cravings. For many Catholics we heard it in Sunday’s gospel about how the Devil tempted Jesus in the dessert. All of this caused me to reflect on what might be the temptations that working or busy moms might be experiencing and what advice could I give to help them not give into the temptations.
Temptation 1: Always putting the kids before yourself and your husband. This one comes with being a “mom” for most of us, just something that happens when we see his or her eyes for the first time. We melt, they own our heart and this often causes us to put them first. What we all need to remember is we can not properly care for children if we don’t care for ourselves. Your personal health and well-being is important if you want to be able to care for your children. We have all been sick and no how miserable life becomes, try to avoid that. Additionally, the best thing you can do for your children is to give them a healthy home filled with love. To do this you need a healthy relationship with your spouse or partner.
Temptation 2: Feeling the need to give your kids everything. Blame it on marketers like me, toy companies or Disney, but kids today have more than ever before. I am as guilty of this as anyone. Often we feel kids need more because they say “I’m bored” so we rush to get the latest and greatest toy or video game. A friend once told me that she rotates the toys so they never get bored. She simply would take a big box and take some toys away and put them in a closet. Then a few months later they would come out. It was like Christmas morning. Try this, or simply play the games with your kids so they enjoy them even more. Instead of setting up a play day with another child, make a family play date instead.
Temptation 3: To enroll your child in every activity Perhaps it is keeping up with the Jones’s syndrome or just society today, but most moms feel the need to put them child in every sport, art or lesson possible. Before you know it kids are booked every day of the week at least, sometimes with more than one activity on a day. This can lead to a lot of stress on the family. You’ll find yourself not only spending a lot of money on the activities themselves, which can cause stress, but also in eating out, the equipment, and more gas for all the pick-ups and drop offs. It can also lead you less family or personal time for you.
Temptation 4: To work a little harder or longer to get ahead. For many working moms we think, “If I just work a little harder, maybe that will get me the raise or promotion.” It is very easy to fall into this trap, heck we see our male counterparts doing it all the time. This is when it is important to think of your career as a long marathon versus a sprint. Try not to think about your career in terms of salary or title, but in terms of personal satisfaction and for what it provides you and your family. Set personal goals for each year, ones that lead you to feel fulfilled at work without putting too much stress on yourself. There will be a time when you can make your job a higher priority, but it is not when you have young children that are dependent on you.
posted by Millennium Mom at
3:32 PM
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