A Motion Sick Mama

Sure, they’ve always been there. The bumps. In a funny way, they’ve become the soundtrack to my life as a mom. Up. Down. Forward. Up. Down. Forward. Up. Down. Forward.

Not only have I grown to expect them, I’ve come to respect them. They keep me grounded — reminding me that some moments will be tough, but others will send me soaring. And no matter what, the moment doesn’t last. So if it’s one to hold on to, then I’d better embrace it. Find the joy, the love, the smiles, the music, and paint that memory on my heart. And those moments at the bottom? Well, they’re not to be forgotten either. That’s where I learn to dig in, to dust off, and to drive on.

Yes, I know the bumps are there. I see the signs. And — logically, at least — I know to brace myself. To take them one at a time.

But lately I find myself feeling a bit nauseous. It seems the bumps are coming faster and more frequently. Maybe it’s the weight of three young children — each with a unique, ever-growing challenge — making the climb to the top slower, and the fall to the bottom faster. Whatever it is, I’m white knuckling the wheel, doing my best to navigate this new stretch of road.

Don’t get me wrong, I have confidence that I’m doing all I can for my kids as a mother. I’ve buckled them in, turned up the happy music, and tripled the number of hugs we share. Yes, I’m confident that the ride in the backseat is much smoother than where I sit. That’s my job, after all. To get my kids from point A to point Z with as little turbulence as possible.

But when you’re the mom, you absorb each and every impact. The therapist’s theories, the teacher’s truths, the exhausted child’s rants. B-bump. B-bump. B-bump.

Of course I have an amazing husband, a wise mother, and a wonderful group of friends to help me navigate my way. To laugh, love, and vent with me. And I have each of you, my friends who embrace my (usually) playful outlook on parenting, while knowing that it’s not always easy to get there.

All of that’s great — really. But what I could use right about now is for one of you to pass me some Dramamine, because this stretch of road is far from over.

Do you ever feel this way? What’s your strategy for easing the bumps in the road as a parent?