11 Tips for Finding More Joy In Motherhood

As much as we all love our kids, there are days when we don't enjoy them like we should. Check out 11 parenting tips for finding more joy in motherhood!

There’s no doubt that as moms, we absolutely adore our kids.  There is no limit to the love that we have for them. But it’s easy to lose track of the joy of being a mother, especially when we’re so busy running errands, cleaning, working, and taking care of everybody else’s needs but our own. Here are a few tips that have helped me find more joy in motherhood.

Related: 5 Things They Never Told me About Motherhood

How to Find More Joy in Motherhood

Step Back

Try to take a step back and just watch.  Stop cleaning; stop trying to control everything; stop staring at the calendar on the fridge full of activities and just observe.  Watch how your children talk to each other; listen to them when they’re playing make-believe, and notice how much closer they’re getting to being adults one day.  Slow down and take it in, even if it’s just for five minutes.

Get Away

The expression “absence makes the heart grow fonder” is around for a reason.  If you’re able to take a day, an evening, a weekend or even longer: do it.  We need it for our sanity, but more than that, your heart will explode with joy when you see your child again.  My husband and I were lucky enough to be invited to a wedding in Miami recently and decided to go without our son.  I had a wonderful time away, but a part of my heart was missing until I saw my son again a few days later.  When I’m going about our daily routine, I tend to forget just how special he is, and how lucky I am to be his mama.  Our trip reminded me of that!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJWBHlbhjP-/?taken-by=ourfamilyworld

Remember

Try to remember what made you decide to have children in the first place – sounds pretty basic, but we often don’t think about it.  Remember how you felt the first time you held your baby.  Remember how you feel when your child wraps their arms around your neck and tells you they love you.  Look at photos and simply remember.

Play

Don’t just play with your children, play like a child: meaning climb the jungle gym even if you’re embarrassed; swing from the monkey bars even if it hurts your hands; show your children what having fun means to you. Having a good time and playing together with your child is something you’ll both remember for the rest of your lives.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGVFhy6NmJC/?taken-by=ourfamilyworld

Live In The Moment

As much as possible, try to live in the now rather than worrying too much about the future or the past when you’re with your children.  Try to appreciate the crazy ins and outs of your daily life, without resentment and with your whole heart.

Be Grateful

Practice being grateful for what you have: be it your child’s health; your own health; a roof over your heads; happiness at being together; being able to laugh and giggle and tickle each other… I’m grateful every day that I’m able to do the things I do with my son.

Quiet

Practice quiet time where your child is not allowed to use you as entertainment, and you are not allowed to do anything other than sitting and enjoying a few minutes of peace and quiet together.  You may need to call it the “Quiet Game” depending on your child’s age, but hey, whatever works!

https://www.instagram.com/p/7bbrPZtmB3/?taken-by=ourfamilyworld

You Time

Find time to be alone, or with your friends; or just spend time doing what you want to do.  Your batteries will feel recharged; I guarantee it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFyjfDyNmEL/?taken-by=ourfamilyworld

Find Support

It’s OK to feel overwhelmed with being a mom, and it’s ok to talk about it.  Try to spend time with people who you feel comfortable talking about your feelings with, be it with your family, your partner, or your friends.

Unstructured Time

Scheduling unstructured time into your day sound like an oxymoron, but it’s important.  Maybe you’ll walk to the park, or build a fort, or bake a batch of cookies or just giggle and laugh and tell silly jokes. Spur of the moment fun is often the best kind of fun.

https://www.instagram.com/p/1ayMyHNmHi/?taken-by=ourfamilyworld

Find Happiness

Seek out small things through the day that make you happy.  For myself, nothing makes my morning more pleasant than a hot, strong cup of coffee and snuggling on the couch to read one of my son’s favorite books together.  When I check on my son at night before I head off to bed, I always smell his hair and my heart swells.  These are just tiny things that I do, but always make me so happy.

It’s no secret that being a mom is hard work.  But with hard work comes incredible rewards, like being able to watch your children grow into amazing human beings.  Can there be anything more joyful than that?

Do you have any favorite parenting tips for finding more joy in motherhood? Share in the comments!

8 thoughts on “11 Tips for Finding More Joy In Motherhood”

  1. Wonderful post. I often say play like a child, not just with the child. I’m always amazed when I let everything else go by how great it feels to throw myself around and crack myself laughing as I try to catch a balloon. It’s those small moments that make it worthwhile.

  2. I love all of your tips and as a mom and grandmom, I can say that it’s really important to have me time. Especially if one is feeling overwhelmed. Absence does make the heart grow fonder but it also gives us a boost of energy we all need at times.

  3. I love your share! That useful!
    Motherhood unavoidably tired. In those moments, I often go to the coffee with my best friend to refresh. I also remember the happy moments with my child. It was wonderful.

  4. These are really great tips for all the parents. I just had a little getaway yesterday and it really helped! I try to find an hour or 2 every day to just spend playing with my daughter.

  5. So many helpful reminders to help you and your kids enjoy your time together. Taking time for yourself is so important, as in living in the moment. It is so easy to want to film everything these days, but you miss out on the good stuff of actually enjoying your time.

  6. Never forget to slow down and spend some down time with the kids, it’s really going to help you enjoy everything that you’re doing for them. Being a mother is not an easy task especially if you put too much pressure on yourself. I’m loving these tips!

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