“Mama, it seems like my friend’s mom is more fun than you,” my daughter openly announced to me a few years ago. I don’t even remember my response to her, but I know I was defensive about it whatever the words were. It was a defining moment for me in my journey of motherhood. One that made me stop and ask myself, “Am I not a fun mom? Do I not laugh enough with my daughters?” I was afraid of the answers to those questions! After taking a good look back at my attitude during the days preceding my daughter’s comment, I realized something about myself. I had been so caught up in my daily tasks… homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, grocery shopping, bookkeeping, disciplining children, teaching music lessons, and on and on…. that I had forgotten to have fun!
Discouraged and faced with something new to worry about, I confided in my husband, telling him that our daughter felt like her mom wasn’t any fun. (Well, that’s not exactly what she said, but it felt like it!) So, being the “fixer” that he is, he asked me, “What do you do that’s fun for you?” Ummmm…. you mean besides sleeping or does that count? So, I had to think a minute. Surely there was something I did for fun.
Then I thought of all the cool things I USED to do like playing my flute, scrapbooking, jewelry making. Those hobbies certainly brought me joy when my girls were little but the busier of a mom I became, it just felt like more effort to take time for those things. At the end of a full day of homeschooling and working for my husband’s business, the most fun thing I could think of was collapsing on the couch and watching a movie or sleeping, (or sleeping during a movie!).
Proverbs 15:13 says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” I don’t know about you but I want my children to see my cheerful face, and I’m not just talking about putting on a fake smile. I want my face to shine with a genuine smile that represents my truly happy heart. If we want to display a happy heart to our children, we definitely need to make room for FUN in our busy lives. What do I do that’s fun for me? I’m still trying to answer that question. I think it’s in the little things right now. Waking up to a creamy cinnamon latte made by my husband – That’s fun. Listening to Louis Armstrong on my record player while I fold laundry – That’s fun (well maybe not the laundry part!). Laughing at my husband’s jokes when nobody else does – That’s fun. Watching my girls grow and develop into such beautiful beings who love the Lord- that definitely makes my heart happy! 🙂
Pay attention to those little blessings in your life. Ask God to make you more aware of whatever it is that gives you a happy heart. If you find yourself bored with your routine or stressed that you can’t get it all done, take a mommy break…even a 5 minute one where you sit and have a cup of tea or coffee and read a book/magazine. Go outside and listen to the birds. They always have something to sing about. Listen to your favorite music while you’re doing a mundane task- it will make it way more enjoyable. Whatever you do, just don’t forget to have FUN!!
What do you do that you find fun? We can all probably use your ideas!
I am right there too – I am definitely not a fun mom – I don’t even think I’m halfway fun – more like stressed, grouchy mom. I could use some tips on how to enjoy in the midst of trying to make sure everyone in the family is fed and bathed!
Thank you for this! It spoke to right where I am today.
This was a great post! I love the idea of making sure we are still having fun as moms, not only for us, but fun with our children, and especially fun with our husbands! I agree, naps are fun for me too! For me, it’s the simple old fashion things with my kids that are fun…. making chocolate chip cookies and trying to all share the batter in the bowl! Playing games like Skip-Bo, Scrabble, Clue, Sequence, Qwixx, or Twister, etc. Knife and tomahawk throwing outside. Mini weekend road trips. Moving the laundry from the washer into the dryer, but you have to do it the “fun” way… take out the wet clothes and hand them to your daughter, but go faster than she can keep up, so you start to just pile the wet clothes on top of her head, and of course they fall off as she bends down with the load in her arm, but you pile faster until you are both laughing so hard and most of the clothes are on the floor instead! Washing dishes together… I wash, she rinses, but water gets splashed everywhere if you are having fun! Another simple fun thing for us curled up in my room/bed each working on something, whether its a book, journaling, writing, but we are together, and they seem to love that. Sometimes doing fun things is doing things we wouldn’t normally want to do or consider fun. For example, my kids want me to paint with them. I am not a painter but I know that by the time we spread our big mess out on the table (which I will be sure they clean up when we are done, not me!!) I know we will be having fun creating something, so it will be worth it in the end, and… it will be fun. :o)