Being A Mom: "It's Not That Hard."

"Being A Mom Is Not That Hard!"

A quote that certainly did not come from my lips, but instead from that of a strongly-opinionated neighbor.

Passing by, and being pulled into a yet another conversation, led my neighbor and I into some friendly debate;

largely because on this topic I firmly disagreed, and this time I couldn't keep silent.

"Those Moms"

She happened to choose a subject that is very dear to my heart...moms.

Not only do I have the upmost respect, love, and care for my own mom, but being a mom myself, I have gained profound perspective on what is required of this "job".

Lumping moms together, my neighbor went on to vent about how mothers these days are portraying themselves as victims, acting as if being a mom is so hard, and complaining about not getting enough support from their spouse, when in fact

"being a mom is not hard."

She explained that she did it; raised her three children, made their meals, bathed them, worked full time, cleaned the house, did it all as a single mom, and it wasn't hard.

Needless to say she did not like when I came to the defense of what she called

"those moms".

"You aren't siding with those moms, are you?"

YES, UNWAVERINGLY, YES I AM.

The reason being is that every mom has an immense job to do.

The mom carries it all;

the spiritual well-being of her kids, the emotional wellness of her family, the function of the household, the physical health of her family, the finances, the family connection, along with managing the daily tasks and chores required to achieve a thriving home and relationship with her kids.

And while God has placed us in this role intentionally, and provides the strength and discernment each day, it is a hard job when you are doing it right.

In fact, I believe it is necessary to daily admit that my role as a mom is hard, and recognize where I am weak.

After all, I am not doing this job alone, and where I can express my weaknesses, is where He will meet me, and provide his strength. I am not an amazing mom on my own, God uses me and works in me each day to give my kids the mom they need-

it's not my work, it's His.

By stating that being a mom is not a hard job, it takes away the importance and the respect a mother should have.

Moms are the powerhouses of the family.

Continuously serving, caring, and sacrificing.

As I wouldn't say the job of a nurse or teacher isn't that hard,

so I wouldn't say the job of a mother is not hard.

There are just too many responsibilities and roles that a mom fulfills that make her invaluable.

If a mom reaches out in need of support or help, why would we as fellow women not rally around her?

As the quote by Christin Lewis goes, "just because someone carries it well, doesn't mean it isn't heavy", reminds us that everyone deals with circumstances that get difficult at times.

So in the way of moms, there will be times where our responsibilities in our family get heavy, or feel hard.

There shouldn't be shame or judgement in those times, there should be understanding and encouragement.

I don't believe "those moms" are griping or complaining, rather I believe they are seeking empowerment and strength during the heavy times. Likewise, they are supporting other moms who may be in the same season, who need to know they aren't alone.

Perhaps it really wasn't that hard a job for my neighbor all those years ago, but for the moms who may be experiencing something different, wouldn't she rather use her strength to encourage them instead of judging and insulting them?

Perhaps this backwards mentally- that you can't show weakness or struggle- is what causes her to be unsympathetic towards moms today.

I am thankful for the conversation I shared with my neighbor, despite our opposing views, because it only planted more firmly in me the desire for all moms to feel supported and encouraged no matter what they are feeling.

It's absolutely a rewarding job,

but it's certainly not an easy one.