Keeping it simple

I just watched the movie "Motherhood" with Uma Thurman, and my mind has a gazillion thoughts. I guess when you become a mother, it's normal to compare mothering styles, which is exactly what I did as I was watching. My main thought as soon as the movie started was "Good grief! What a mess!" And, quite frankly, that feeling lasted throughout the entire film. It got me thinking about how sometimes we make motherhood more complicated by not keeping our life simple. Is there really any need for us to have the house fully decorated and with all sorts of choking hazards lying around? Could we learn to live with the essential things in order to worry less and have more time to enjoy our kids? I propose we do. In fact, if someone were to ask me right now what would be my best advice for a new mother, I would have to say: Keep it simple. 

What does simple look like?

• Get rid of things you have around the house that you never, or very rarely use. The point is that you will have walking/running space to play with your kids.
• Let some balls drop. You can't juggle everything in life.
• Establish realistic goals. Don't wait until the day of the birthday party to actually buy and prepare the birthday goodies (as seen on the above referenced movie). If you know it's coming, plan ahead.
• Donate the clothes your child has outgrown. If you're having more kids, keep a few items, but don't over do it. You know you'll have more than enough when the other baby comes and there's no way to predict the gender anyway.
• Baby-proof as best as you can. My husband took care of the few things we have around the house, and now I can sit at my computer, while my baby plays in her room, confident that there's nothing hazardous in her path. It really is liberating.
• Don't empty your home's contents into your car.
• Fight the temptation to want to control everything.
• Make all efforts to establish routines with your child. Nap time and sleep time offer great opportunities to catch up on things you need to do. Of course, make sure you are resting too.
• If you are feeling overwhelmed, go outside on a clear night, lie on the floor, look up at the stars, and pray.
• Consider making career or lifestyle changes if you are at a breaking point. Motherhood is a gift and it's up to you to look for ways to enjoy it the most.