A Mother's Monday: Do You Doubt Your "mothering"?

How many of you clicked on the link to read more because you answered yes to the question, "Do you doubt your mothering?" If you did, I would like to think you are not alone, and neither am I. Am I the only one who doubts her ability to be a good mom?

Have you ever watched your child(ren) and thought, "Where did I go wrong?" If we are honest with ourselves, most would say "yes". I'm grateful this isn't a common feeling yet it does pass through now and again. It seems to be more common since our daughter became a teen. Go figure, right? I'm thankful for a goal-oriented, driven, and level-headed child. I know this comes from picking my battles and positive parenting but sometimes I just want to throw up my hands. Can you relate? As I SMH (shake my head), I think, It would be easier to just say yes. BUT saying "yes" is never the easy route in the long run. It might appear that way in the moment but eventually, easy leads to difficult and time consuming. Is any of this making sense?

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I started this blog after graduation weekend with the exhaustion of busyness and emotional drain as the fuel. Doubt in my parenting was my focus and my heart was heavy with feelings of failure and loss but after a good night's sleep and a good Word, I see the hope and joy. 

Will I still have moments of doubt? Of course, I am human of course. We spend seventeen to eighteen years preparing our kiddos to break from their cocoon ready to conquer the world and then when this moment arrives, it is met with trepidation. We are silly creatures if you think about it. We spend nearly two decades preparing our child(ren) with the foundation they need to be independent adults but when they reach the age of application, we want to pull back and hold them a little closer, for just a little longer. 

I think this is where the doubt comes in. It isn't that you or I have done anything wrong or made a mountain of mistakes. Actually, it is one layer of the cocoon breaking away. We need to trust we've done our best, instilled the morals and virtues we value, and encourage open communication so our kiddos understand we will always be there for them. So stop doubting if your son or daughter is ready. Focus on the memories yet to be made and trust him/her to God, after all, we are all God's child first and foremost. Our child(ren) are ready to fly, it's us with the reservations. Don't doubt, release.

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Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6 NIV

Doubt is normal and part of the grieving process when our child(ren) reach the final years of high school...they are ready to take flight, we need only open our hearts and hands to let go and see what wonderful things God has for them in their future.