The New Year isn’t new to me, at all! I went through those years when I vowed to be a better mother in the following year.
I beat myself up over it all. Maybe I didn’t make enough cookies, failed to show up to enough school events, didn’t even start a scrap book, much less complete enough pages. The kids didn’t get to bed on time, often enough. I didn’t have enough money. I didn’t buy them, enough. I didn’t hug them, enough. I said hold on too much, and didn’t stop what I was doing, enough. I didn’t say, sorry, enough. Let’s not even get started on what kind of friend or wife I thought I was. In short, I wasn’t enough! The funny thing is, I never thought of it that way. I didn’t consciously say, “I’m not enough.” Regardless, that’s exactly what I was telling myself, every year I vowed to be a better mother. And, what was I telling my kids? That I wasn’t doing the best I could? That I wasn’t enough? That they should feel entitled to more? ENOUGH with that! This year, none of the kids got the proof-I’m-a-good-mom picture with Santa. You know what? So what! This coming year, I’m vowing to remember, I’m enough. I know that whatever I do in the day, on most days, was the best I could do. That is more than enough! If there were some way for me to be a better mother, I’m not going to get there by ridiculing myself all the time. Next year, I’m going to teach the kids the one thing I have never focused on teaching them; they are lucky to have me. My actions, my secret thoughts of unworthiness, and self-doubt, were the vibes my kids picked up on. It was the tone they heard and the feeling they internalized. Inevitably, I will be a better mother next year, because I will not be apologizing for being human. We’re moms. We make mistakes. Sometimes, we even make the same mistakes, repeatedly. We also love unconditionally and do the best we can. Every. Day.
I give them rules.
I give them consequences.
I teach them about family.
I teach them about friendship.
I celebrate with them.
I play with them.
I cook for them.
I clean up after them.
I teach them to honor their father.
I love them. They are the center of my universe, and I am the center of theirs.
I am good, enough. I am more than enough. That’s why I’m not trying to be a better mother, next year.
I’ve shared why I’m enough. Think about how amazing you are, too! Please share some ways you are good enough.
is the Founder/CEO of 24/7 Modern Mom Media Corporation and Founder/Director of the Kaitlyn Gonzalez Foundation.
Alicia was born and raised in New York. She moved to the West Coast during her teenage years. She currently resides in California with her husband and five children.
24/7 Modern Mom was born as a result of an unexpected pregnancy. Alicia and her husband were a small family of 2 people. Following the birth of two sons, Alicia and her husband became a small family of 4. The unexpected pregnancy blessed the small family with spontaneous triplets, two boys, and one girl. The small family became a big family of 7. 24/7 Modern Mom was born, both literally and figuratively.
The triplets were born prematurely, at 29 weeks, weighing in at just over two pounds each. All three of the triplets were diagnosed with Autism in 2012. In the same year, two of them were diagnosed with Epilepsy. Alicia continues to be an advocate for her own children and for parents of special needs children. She is in the process of working on a new book. She is National Speaker on a variety of topics, including Parenting, Special Needs, Motivational Coaching, and Business.
If you are interested in booking her to speak at an event, please use the contact form on this site and someone will get back to you within 2 business days. You may also contact her PR Firm, Eclectic Media, directly at http://www.mediaproductions.tv
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