Making Sure Miserable Mom Stays Away

She was setting out lunch when it happened.
Milk poured out of the cup, onto her plate and the kitchen table.
It spilled down the edge covering her chair and the floor.
I could have cried.

The day had a difficult beginning.
By lunch time, I was on edge, wishing the day done.
All I could think of was what I had to accomplish that afternoon and evening.
Lists and chores stretched long ahead of me.
Final lines of the poem she was memorizing kept ringing through my head,

"And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"

~ Robert Frost

Only I didn't hear it with that peaceful chant she uses to say the words.
No, my mind played it like the Wicked Witch of the West might utter it to Dorothy,
complete with a cackle at the end.

Nothing seemed to be going right,
and I was miserable.

Have you met Mom with a Miserable Attitude?

She's the mom who in her misery...

• hardly ever smiles
• is never pleased
• says no to playing with her children despite having time and ability
• hangs her head
• is discontent
• complains about her children and/or children's behaviors
• discourages others with her attitudes and perspectives

Do you ever have a miserable mom attitude?

I know there are days when I feel or act miserable. If we are honest, we probably all have a little bit of the miserable mom attitude inside us.


What should you do when you feel like a miserable mom?

For me, I

• Pray. Asking God to search my heart and find the root of the problem. Is it discontent? Pride?
• Read God's Word. There is nothing in comparison to the wisdom and perspective found in the Bible.
• Do something I like for a few minutes. My top choices are listen to music, create something beautiful, and take a few pictures.

How do you keep the Miserable Mom Attitude away?

Personally, I know two sure fire ways to keep a Miserable Mom attitude far way:

• Suffocation. If I don't give misery a chance to come up for air, it lies dormant.
• Starvation. If I don't feed the miserable mom attitude, it whithers and dies.

For me it is a choice. I hope and pray each day I choose to keep a miserable mom attitude down for the count and replace her with a Joyful Mom outlook.


Have you met a Joyful Mom?

She is who I aspire to be.
She's the mom who...

• is full of joy
• laughs often
• is content
• has peace
• finds beauty in the here and now
• says yes when she can to her children, getting right into their games and make-believes
• encourages other moms

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dear Father, You have commissioned me with this great task of mothering my children.
I cannot do it alone. Every day and in every way I need You and Your guidance.
Help me to do it well, and do it joyfully each day of this journey. Amen
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is my prayer and hope to be a Joyful Mom more often than not.
It is what I want my children to remember when they think back on their childhoods.
By His grace, it may be so.
~ Dorie

{A special note: This post is not addressing despair or depression, but rather a heart attitude.}

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Linked to: The Better Mom and The Modest Mom Blog