A Mother’s Happiness

The best gift a mother can give her kids is her own happiness. 

We moms have the moments we regret….when we overreacted, when we were distracted, when we were harsh when what was needed was our softness. We say we only want what’s best for our kids and that we only want them to be happy. But that’s not true. We hate how we feel when our kids are in pain. So we want them to be happy. For us. That’s an impossibly high hurdle we’ve set for our kids—to make us happy—and they know it. When we find peace in our own minds, we are able to be open to all of our child’s experiences—the highs and the lows—and we let those experiences be theirs. We don’t make them mean something about us and we don’t try to fix anything. We say we are sorry when needed….we ask for forgiveness and offer forgiveness. 

Think back with compassion to those moments you regret. How much would your own peace, your own happiness have changed those experiences for you? For your child?

Own your own happiness, sweet friend. It’s what your kids need.