Thanking yourself…when others don’t or can’t

As a mom, you take care of a great many things. You hopefully get “Thank You”s from your children, your significant other, other moms, and/or your children’s teachers from time to time.

And, regardless of whether you feel appropriately thanked and appreciated by others, I think the simple fact is that no one is ever going to truly understand what it takes for you to be mom. The decisions you painstakingly roll over and over in your mind, how you prepare your child for a “first,” how your heart is in your throat when you drop your child off for a “first,” how you’re constantly monitoring how your child is doing currently and thinking about what’s needed next, how you set your needs and wants aside when your child is sick or sad or struggling…all these, and more, are only fully understood by you.

We moms need to be able to acknowledge and appreciate ourselves. Others aren’t going to or simply can’t fully appreciate all that we’re constantly and continuously handling. Learning to pat ourselves on the back is a gracious, useful, refueling practice we can engage in.

Here is what I’d like to thank myself for: I appreciate the way I intentionally observe my children, working to understand their strengths and preferences. I’m proud of the way I encourage them to use their talents and lovingly push them to step out of their comfort zone and develop new capabilities. I worry about getting this balance right. For this, I appreciate myself.

What would you like to thank yourself for?