notes for mom (or dad) -- because we ALL need them

Ever have one of those days when you need a serious pat on the back? A hug? A gold star?

Ever wish that at the end of the day that you’d get a high-five from anyone for being a half-decent parent?

Ever feel like you climbed Mt. Everest because you didn’t want to yell scream or cry when the third bowl of cereal tumbled to the ground before 9am?

Ever feel like a superstar because you singlehandedly squelched a tantrum before it began because YES!! you justsohappened to have an extra pacifier in your diaper bag, pack of stickers in your purse, or a granola bar in the glove compartment?

Ever just need someone–anyone–to tell you ‘thanks’?

Me too.

So this round of lunchbox love notes aren’t for the lunchboxes.

They’re for the dashboard, the stroller, the bathroom mirror. Wherever we need ’em.

Here’s the skinny. . .

Notes for Mom (or Dad)–Because We ALL Need ‘Em:

Dashboard’s dirty and dusty; note is barely hanging on–but I’ll take it.

And because it’s time.

I’ve kept a ‘Good Job’ note from waaaaay back when on the dashboard of my van for years. Years.

And before that, a cheap-o doctor’s office sticker stayed on the inside compartment of my double stroller and reminded me ‘You Can Do It!”– whether I was pregnant and hoofin’ it up a hill or trying to keep my tired self sane and smiling.

Because some days, I need a reminder.

I love this girl–Maddy’s best, most beautiful girl–on this note. Because we both got it.

Some days, we need help. And some days, we need reminders that we’re doing our best, even if our best feels small and insignificant and totally not what we wish it were.

And some days, it doesn’t matter if it’s a cheesy, ugly sticker. Or a ripped and torn post-it note.

Some days, we just need a lift.

So I whipped up some notes for mom (or dad–or anyone!) because we ALL need them. I know I need them mostly every day of the year.

Throw your email in the box below, and the notes will magically end up in your inbox. YAY!

I’ve printed, cut, and hid these little notes around–some for the kids to see–and some just for me. I think it’s good for Maddy, Owen, and Cora to see me struggling some days, to see me taking deep breaths to calm down or to talk myself down from a total freakout: You know what? I’m totally losing patience, so I’m heading upstairs for a 5 minute break. I’ll be back when I feel a little more relaxed.

I think it’s good for them to hear me giving myself a positive self-talk–not necessarily as clean or cheesy as our old Stuart Smalley from SNL but more like the subtle reminders that we are doing our best, that we rock, and that we can do this. Sometimes, I just belt out, Mama said there’d be days like this–there’d be days like this–my mama said. . .

Though lately my struggles are moving from less physical—no more diaper changes, no more strollers or sweaty Baby Bjorns—they’re more emotional. And sometimes it feels like the emotional stresses of child-rearing are more exhausting than I could have imagined.

We all need a little push some days. Or a smile. Or a nod. Or a reminder that this sometimes difficult and challenging time is fleeting. Or that breathing really helps. Or that we are superstars and our kids love us even if we feel like there’s no way they could.

What do you do to remind yourself to breathe during difficult times, to stop and appreciate all that you have or that you really can make it through tough days? Let me know in the comments!

Check out a few other posts that may help you develop strong and healthy habits for your family:

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Check out a few other posts that may help you develop strong and healthy habits for your family: