Hey there! I’m Mikala—a family doctor, wife, mother of 5, well-being advocate, and author of the books Ordinary on Purpose and Everything I Wish I Could Tell You About Midlife. Each month my writing reaches millions of women, but I am thrilled to be connecting with YOU. I’m truly grateful to have you here!
All tagged #thesemomentsmatter
If you are the mother of a teenage boy, you need to hear this one.
I wish I could say I’m the perfect mother. But…I’m not. Not even close. Day after day I mess up in a million ways, and I'm still the right mom for the job.
Our main job as parents is to help our children navigate life. REAL LIFE. And that means talking to them about the hard stuff.
Somewhere along the way…we stopped trying to change one another. We stopped keeping track and stopped keeping score and decided to be on the same team.
It might look a little different now, but your boy will always need you in so many ways!
#7: Every once in a while, you will look over at your teenager and see the toddler version of him right there in the expression on his face. It will take your breath away.
It's okay to switch off the news, turn down the radio, delete a few apps from your phone. It's okay to come up for air.
OF COURSE, you always intend to exercise and make something healthy-ish for dinner and switch the laundry and respond to those work emails and clean up the kitchen counters and make time for self-care and basically be a productive and functioning person. But then, all too often, life gets in the way.
These days, hugs are few and far between. Usually given with a limp arm. Or the ‘lean in’ with no arms at all. It’s lonely, sometimes. But we have to remember…we’re not alone.
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever get it. Will I ever be the patient, loving mom I strive to be? Will I ever be able to control my temper? Will I ever be able to keep it all together?
I’m pretty sure all those earlier parenting challenges were preparing us for today—these days of parenting a teenager. EVERYTHING feels multiplied!!
Me. Family. Good friends. Connection. Real food. Nature. Pets. Comfortable footwear. Fresh baked bread. My tattered bible while soaking in a warm tub before bed.
This is how I want to live the rest of my days—listening to my body. Moving her and feeding her and caring for her. Stopping whenever I need a rest. Noticing other people and flowers and blue skies and sunshine and dogs. Simply marveling at the world.
And showing up to this mess and noise through exhaustion (and sometimes tears) is part of raising a beautiful family!!
To me, that’s where we really LIVE this lovely little thing called life.
Today I feel sad. Maybe it’s because I took my youngest to kindergarten round-up and there are only a few more months until ALL my kids will be in school.
There is so much to do, yes. I know so often I’m moving too fast. But I don’t ever want to be too busy or stressed or distracted or overwhelmed that I forget to notice it all as it passes.
Trust me. You’re doing great! You are an amazing parent! Just keep showing up.
