Experienced Mothers Share Tips with New Mothers
by Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director – United Way of Charlotte County
In the world of motherhood, these three remain: Grace, Presence and Impact. And the greatest of these is Grace.
Recently, members of Women United took time to meet virtually with Kids Thrive’s Circle of Parents and moms who were looking for tools and techniques related to time management and goal setting.
Over a Zoom call, we shared what works for each of us as busy moms, wives and employees.
Some great tips and tricks from Women United included the following:
· Make a list and mark things off as you go. Physically marking each item off can be motivating.
· Keep a family calendar on the refrigerator. Use a different color for each member of the family’s activities and deadlines.
· If you like technology, try an app such as Trello or Todoist to organize your chores and tasks.
· Give your children your focus when you are with them.
· Carve out time for your partner and give them your focus when you are with them, too!
· And don’t forget a little time for yourself – a bike ride or walk around the neighborhood can be invigorating and doesn’t have to take a lot of time.
· Set a bedtime for your children and stick to it.
· Go to bed early and wake up and get ready before the kids are awake.
· Give yourself grace. Know that it is okay if the laundry isn’t done, if the kids didn’t get a Pinterest-perfect packed lunch, and if you have to order pizza for dinner (because you forgot to thaw the chicken).
When you are raising a family, the days and weeks seem to go by slowly. A day with a toddler can feel like an eternity. But when you look back, the years go by quickly.
Each moment that you spend with your family you are building memories, teaching lessons and making a long-lasting impact. One of our Women United members shared that her family calendar was intended to make Mom’s life easier. She later learned that her children got as much benefit from it as she did!
And your presence and focused attention on your children and your partner help them to always feel valued and important. You might get sick of reading The Poky Little Puppy every other night, but you can bet your child’s cup is being filled in a new way each time.
But being a mother is hard. Being a single mother is hard. Being a working mother is hard. Being a mother of one child is hard. Being a mother of multiple children is hard.
It just is.
And so, our Women United mothers shared the most important tip of all. Give yourself grace.
On this Mother’s Day, and every day that you wear the badge of Mother, remember to be present with your family and know that you are creating long-lasting impact, but mostly remember to give yourself grace. For more information, please visit www.unitedwayccfl.org/circle-parents or call the United Way of Charlotte County at 941-627-3539. Mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty. Angie Matthiessen is the Executive Director of United Way of Charlotte County. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org.