Hey Moms, Happy Monday!  As I looked around my house this morning, I couldn’t help but laugh (we need a good laugh on Mondays, don’t we?) If my surroundings were any indication of how good of a mom I am, I’d definitely be labeled “terrible”!  Do you ever look at your role as a mom or the home you live in or the job you do and think you’re a terrible mom?  Ever heard those Jeff Foxworthy  “You Might be a Redneck jokes?  Well, I decided to write some “You Might Be a Terrible Mom” jokes to put alongside 10 myths about what it takes to be a good mom.  These photos in -no way- make implications about moms who DO keep a tidy home.  They’re only meant to reassure many of us who don’t that we’re still doing great!  By the way, these are actual photos of my house this morning, if that’s any comfort!

Myth #1:  A “good mom” always has clean, folded laundry that is neatly put in their proper drawers.

Helpful truth: Piles of laundry means you have clothes to wear, kids that have fun enough to get them dirty, and the means to wash them!  Enlist children to help–they need to learn this skill.

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Myth #2:  A “good mom” treasures every “treasure” that enters her house.

Helpful truth:  Tossing things out, guilt-free, is okay! Enjoy it for a little while, but only keep what is truly special (like handmade cards/gifts from kids) in a designated box.  Your sanity depends on it!

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Myth #3:  A “good mom” always has a clean car.

Helpful truth:  Your car isn’t a reflection of your ability to parent. Unless you have very mature, type-A children, backseats don’t stat clean easily. Enlist your kids the chore of tidying up their area before they get out and cleaning with a mini vac every Saturday.

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Myth #4:  A “good mom”s house looks like it belongs in BHG.

Helpful truth:  Our value as a mom is not based on a clean, organized, stylish home.  There’s plenty of time for an immaculate home when kids have moved out.  But because organization is important, assign everything to a “home” (a designated place) and enlist kids to put each thing back in it’s home.

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Myth #5:  A “good mom”‘s fridge is a beautiful cornucopia of freshness and nutrition.

Helpful truth:  We have straight-up OLD FOOD in our fridge and you probably do, too.  Good news: you’re normal!  Assign one, even two nights a week to “leftovers” so you can minimize your grocery bill and avoid the nasty food overflow.  Toss whatever smells like feet.

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Myth #6:  Good moms constantly pay attention to their children.

Helpful truth:  Moms need a break sometimes.  Not speaking of neglect, a valuable lesson for children is that your world doesn’t revolve around engaging with them every moment, every day.  Love you kids, but I’ll be in here for a little while…ALONE!

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Myth #7:  A “good mom” always looks put-together.

Helpful truth:  Some days you wear clean clothes, some days you don’t.  Some days your hair is washed, some days it’s not.  That’s it.  You’re welcome.

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Myth #8:  A “good mom” always practices the best healthy habits.

Helpful truth:  I’m not gonna lie, we NEED to take time for ourselves to be healthy, mentally and physically.  If we want to be a mom who can keep up with the family, we need to have energy…and sometimes that comes from 8 cups of coffee.  But seriously, the myth-part is “always”.  Give yourself grace in your healthy efforts.

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Myth #9:  A “good mom” only gives her child organic, free-range, no-sugar-added, high-protein paleo whole foods.

Helpful truth:  I strive to give my kids healthy food, but the not-so-great stuff does sneak in, especially when I’m in a “yes” kind of mood at the grocery store.  Sometimes you gotta live a little and let loose!

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Myth 10:  There is one right way and system to being a mom.

Helpful truth:  I have a friend who asked why I don’t load dirty dishes right into the dishwasher.  I said it’s because the dishwasher is always full of clean dishes!  Her system is different from mine, but she doesn’t look down on me for it.  All of us moms have our ways of doing things and not doing things.  Yes, having systems in place, teaching good habits, and being responsible with our God-given gifts is very important.  But what I’m learning more and more each day is that what matters most is that our children feel genuinely loved no matter what and that only by God’s grace can I be a “good mom”.

What are some funny “You might be a terrible mom…” jokes you can think of?  Share below and I might make it into a picture to share!

 

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