When my Village Stops by to Raise my Children

It takes a village to raise a child.

–African Proverb

This quote has been ringing in my ear all weekend.  For the weekend, my sisters came to stay with me in my itty-bitty apartment. Normally, I wouldn’t be up for it, but I needed the company and help.

I was able to wash clothes while my mom watched one baby and my sister helped with my never-ending pile of laundry. The stress of preparing meals and cooking was off me, as my sister loves to cook. As I got ready for church on Sunday, one sister dressed my girls and the other sister did their hair while I got dressed. It was chaotic but my village managed to get 4 adults and 4 kids dressed and out the door in less than 45 minutes. That’s a record for us! That African proverb couldn’t have been truer for me.

There are days when I rock in the mom department. The kids wake up happy, eat breakfast, watch their favorite shows, nap, do chores, eat dinner and then it’s back to sleep for the night.  There are hugs, kisses, laughs and giggles all day. Then there are days when I fail. There is yelling, screaming, tears and tantrums. I go to bed wondering why I even woke up.

I watched this clip {5:10 mark} and Al Roker quoted Roseanne Barr and said, “We do the best we can and try better the next day.”

It was like a light bulb went off in my brain. While I’m so hard on myself to make sure my kids are happy and healthy, I don’t give myself enough credit for the work I’ve already done. I am my own worst critic.

I figure when my husband comes home from work, if the kids are still alive, then I’ve done my job. –Roseanne Barr

If there is one thing I have learned about motherhood so far, is that it cannot be done alone. We need a village of people to help and support us with our journey. Whether it be your relatives or neighbors, there is someone always around to lend a helping hand. There is no shame in asking for it. No mother is perfect but together, we can make this crazy adventure called motherhood work.