Being a Mother in 2014

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be a mother in our time-period. The more I think about it, the more discouraging, exciting, and mostly confusing it is to me. Well, perhaps not to me alone exactly, but to all of us really.

To be a mother in the year 2014 means a million different things, and that alone is what is so confusing.

It seems like motherhood to our mothers, and especially our grandmothers and great-grandmothers was less confusing. There seemed to be a direct role related to being a mother: you cooked, you cleaned, and you raised the children. A mother's place was primarily just in the home. Now days the role of a mother is just about as diverse as every snowflake that is falling outside of my window right now. No two mother's roles are the same, and no two mother's are going to agree on everything either!

It's really kind of sad when you think about it. Instead of building each other up, supporting one another in our roles, and lending some support when we need it (cause God knows we need it). We tend to tear one another down, judging one style of parenting from another, and acting like we know it all.

Then there is this unfortunate stigma going around that kids are the WORST thing that can happen to a young woman. Have you noticed this? Kids (and marriage, but that's a different topic) are something to be saved for after you've done some living. Ya know, cause kids (and a husband) bog you down, hold you in some place that you don't want to be, and overall ruin you. Where the heck does that come from? I feel like you can do plenty of good, quality living whether you have children (and a husband) or not.

But that's besides the point.

Whether you are a working mother, a stay-at-home mother, or something in between (like me). I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone as a mother and encourage another. We need each other, for support and laughter and kindness and just the know that we're not the only ones doing this thing. And quit judging one another, or at least, really, really try. We're all just doing our very, very best here...

And don't forget, my door's always open if you ever need to talk!