The Other Side Of Motherhood

Anything done with a toddler takes more time to accomplish.
A mother has to factor that extra time into her schedule.
A toddler wants to be a helper.
That word helper should be placed in quotation marks.

It is hard to predict how a toddler will act in a new situation.
It is sometimes hard to predict how a toddler will act in a familiar situation.
Even the best mother cannot say for sure which things might make her child afraid.
Things she thinks will be a problem are not; while things that should not be a problem, are.

She was food shopping with her daughter.
They had an early morning appointment and got stuck in traffic on the way home.
A toddler is content in a car for only so long.
The mother wondered how successful this food shopping trip would actually be.

They were in the produce section and almost done their grocery shopping.
That is when the loud screaming began.
The little girl was tired after the long morning, but her screaming was unacceptable.
After they get their produce, they usually stop at the deli counter to get some cheese.

The little girl loves when her mommy buys cheese.
The nice man behind the counter always gives a piece to his special little customer.
Since she was screaming and not listening to her mommy; she would not get a piece of cheese.
Her mother was secretly hoping the screams would stop so the cheese could be given.

The nice man was behind the counter.
He was ready with a piece of cheese in his hand.
The little girl was still screaming.
The mother explained why her daughter would not get a piece of cheese today.

The man behind the counter looked sad.
He loves the smile he gets from his special customer when he hands her the cheese.
As they walked to the self checkout, the little girl stopped screaming.
Her mother was pleased that even without cheese, the situation got better instead of worse.

At the self checkout, a coupon refused to work.
A man had to come over and help them.
Her little girl was pointing and began to cry loud and hard.
The mother thought that her daughter was pointing to a fan that was running nearby.

She tried to reassure her daughter that everything was fine.
She just wanted to get out of the store as quickly as possible.
However, the mother had a cut on her elbow, which opened up and began to bleed.
She could not find her tissues, so she used her workout shirt as a tissue to stop the bleeding.

Her daughter was still crying, even after they walked away from the fan.
The mother had placed a bath mat in the shopping cart seat next to her daughter.
She thought it would be something interesting for her to hold.
Apparently, her daughter was afraid of the bath mat, which was rolled up beside her.

They got out to the parking lot and the mother loaded their groceries in the car.
A man next to them was loading his car as well.
The little girl, still in the shopping cart, started pointing to the “boo-boo” on the man’s leg.
The mother had to explain that it was not a “boo-boo” on the man’s leg.

It was a tattoo.

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD. (Psalm 127:3)

Toddlers are learning about their world.
Bath mats can be scary.
Tattoos can look like boo-boos.
Even if a mother knows the reason for the crying/screaming, training has to happen.

Parenting is not for the faint of heart.
Good days are delightful.
Bad days are trying.
Mothers need encouragement.

I sat in my car laughing hysterically at the details of my daughter’s shopping trip.
My sweet granddaughter was the toddler.
Who knew that a bath mat could be scary?
Her new word, boo-boo, apparently extends to tattoos as well.

My daughter can laugh about all of this now.
However, as it was happening…
Needless to say it was not our best trip to the grocery store, she said in her text.
It is the other side of motherhood, I told her.

Motherhood has many wonderful days.
Difficult days are days that a mother does not want to repeat.
If not encouraged, a young mother can feel insecure after a trying day.
That is when someone has to come alongside and remind her.

She needs to be reminded of the important job she is doing.
She needs a change of focus.
She is training her child.
The job of training her child in righteousness is God ordained.

Parenting is not for the faint of heart.
That is why we need God to help us.
Parents cannot do this job alone.
Good days and bad days are in His hands.

Mothers, let God hold you.
Let Him tell you how much He loves you.
God has given you the job of raising your child.
Your child is a gift from His hands, this side of motherhood and the other side of motherhood.

(This story is told with permission)