You know your morning is going to be fantastic when you’re woken up by your 3-year-old throwing up… She’s in your bed, so you launch into a slow-motion ninja move straight out of some action movie to get her to the bathroom in time…  This is all before the clock hits 6:00 am!

You find yourself short-tempered and moody because you’ve been denied that blissful morning wake-up call of birds chirping, and the aroma of coffee drifting into your bedroom… It’s rather like having cold water poured over you!

You look like Eeyore, walking around with that dark rainy cloud looming over your head, and now and then a lightning flash and roar of thunder escapes. Everyone in the house keeps a safe distance away…

STAY OUT OF MY WAY -aka Cross Mommy!

I remember a few weeks back, this adorable little 3-year-old of mine gave me something to think about. She always insists on dressing herself, a process that is usually lengthy. Nonetheless, I grin and bear it (especially when in a rush, I bear it). On this particular morning, there was no dark cloud over my head, and I found myself having a good giggle as I watched her trying to put on her jeans. While admiring her determination and quietly watching her struggle into those jeans, she looks over at me and says, “MOMMY, are you cross with me?”

Well, that took the wind out of my sails right away. When I’m just grinning and bearing it, does this little Poppet of mine think I am CROSS with her? That was the moment when all those little thoughts came rushing in… What a terrible mother I am! What am I teaching my children? What do they think of me? I’ll admit that at that moment, a few tears did escape!

It stayed with me the entire day. It weighed heavily on my heart. Is this what my family sees every morning?

A mommy who is cross?

Yes, I know it’s okay to have a bad day. I’m not denying that. But how do we express this to our family? Am I making them feel that it is their fault? (Because it definitely is not, sometimes we grown-ups wake up grumpy) … That’s life, but how we deal with it is an entirely different story!

It was then that I realised that the look on my face in the mornings speaks a thousand words to this little girl. Often, a story that I do not intend to. That, as a parent, I need to teach my children that it is normal to wake up a little grumpy now and again, but how you deal with it – and then treat others around you – makes a tremendous and lasting impact on how they perceive you!

I stumbled across this great article by Hilary Cole of the blog The Cole Mines. 31 Days and 31 Ways to Be A Better Mom. I love that she does not say how to be the best mom, because really… Is there one?  I found it very encouraging, with simple tips to help you start your day on the right note!

*Sadly, Hilary’s blog is no more. She had a beautiful way of connecting motherhood and faith.

The biggest lesson I have learned, and am still learning, is that it’s great to have a community of mothers sharing their experiences… In South Africa, we call it “UBUNTU”, which means “I am what I am because of who we are” (my own paraphrase).

We are all mothers… Doing the best we can!