Motherhood Pro Tips: What I Wish I Knew Sooner

For Mother's Day, I'm going to give you what every mom just loooooooooves. Unsolicited advice. *sarcasm alert* I know it's coming at you from all angles every time you ask for carseat recommendations, but I want to send love to all of you out there in the trenches. I have been in the mom game for 11 years now with my little broke bestie, but I still remember the early days. They may be a little foggy, though, so take my advice for what it's worth!

OK, starting right out of the gate with my first Pro-Tip as my disclaimer. All of us "mom" differently.  Yes, I am using that as a verb. Every kid is different. Only you know what is best for your baby, because no one knows them like you do. Trust me when I say I know the terrors of online mom groups!  Take what works for you, and leave the rest.

Purchase a Babywearing Contraption

If I could go back in time and only choose ONE baby accessory, gadget, etc, it would be a baby carrier. So much more convenient than a stroller or bucket seat, a lot of the time, and definitely more fun. From day one, Rollins has always had serious FOMO (fear of missing out). So, I would just toss him up on my back and do whatever! Carriers and wraps range from cheap and easy to expensive with a learning curve, but all are worth it. You can find lots of YouTube tutorials to help.

Play Dumb

I try very hard not to be a helicopter parent.  This means things often take longer or a mess is made, but Rollins learns more from doing things himself and possibly failing than he does from me helping him at every step. Which means SOMETIMES when he asks me certain things, I play dumb.

Rollins: "MOM, where are my shoes?"

Me knowing full well they are under the dining room table where he kicked them off: "I don't know, Bub, wherever you left them!" Gotta put them back where they go or spend the time looking for them.

GO OUTSIDE

There is a saying, "go touch grass." This often means someone has spent too much time on the internet, but it also expresses the need to connect with reality in nature. I swear, even as a newborn, any time Rollins was "unreasonably" upset or had worked himself into a tizzy, I would take him outside. If it was raining, we would sit on the porch, or I'd let him stomp in puddles. Something about the change of scenery would reset his attitude, and he'd be back to his "normal" self. It works for me too! I know you've all felt the shift in mood as we change from winter to spring.

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Make Time For Your Girlfriends

Because you are so focused on routine for your baby, it is easy to get into the habit of staying in all the time.  Don't get me wrong, a routine of some sort was necessary for survival for us for a long time at first! So, that's why my closest friends and I are in a book club together.

Book Club time is sacred!  We love to read, but let's be honest, our monthly scheduled meetings (to MAKE SURE we make time) always divert to other juicier topics more often than book discussion. It's good to have a supportive place to talk about difficult things, and it's equally as important to talk about the great things.  Your best gals should be your loudest cheerleaders, but they should also keep it real to help you be your best self.

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We're all just out here figuring out how to raise good humans. Ladies, Happy Mother's Day. I know you deserve all the best, or at the very least: breakfast in bed, complete silence, and time to watch your favorite show uninterrupted. Dad's! Make it happen!