Being an Effective Mom is Hard...

Sometimes I get really stressed out. I LOVE being a mom - there is absolutely nothing else I would rather do with my life than be a mother - really. But it really is truly hard. I always knew it would be hard because that is what everyone said, but you never really quite understand until you actually do it. I love my children so much! And that is probably part of the reason that it’s so stressful, because everything is not always perfect and you want to try and make everything as perfect as possible - but it’s not that easy.

It is so crazy to me. But already at her age I can see how much influence friends have on her. It is scary. We live in a scary world - much scarier than it was even when we were growing up! I feel such a huge responsibility to protect them, but even more to teach them. And I usually feel very overwhelmed and inadequate. And then when you think you have a perfect teen and you find out that they are maybe not quite so perfect and get some extra challenges, like we I’ve had (whom I'm sure I'll talk more about at a different time), it is even that much harder!

Anyway, I guess I have just been feeling quite overwhelmed lately with motherhood. Even though I'm sure I'll feel this way ten times fold as they get older! I can definitely see how Heavenly Father uses this role and the experiences it comes with to mold us and help us become the people He knows that we can become and that we hope to become during this life.