When you accept a job, you agree to a salary, but that’s not usually what keeps you coming back day after day. What makes you love your job might be the people you sit near, the fun conversations you have over lunch, that discount you get with your employee I.D., or the way donuts mysteriously appear on Fridays. The perks!
When you “accepted the job” of being a mom, you probably knew there would be moments that would feel like big pay-offs—hearing “mama” for the first time or seeing your graduate walk across the stage and receive a diploma. But just like the perks that unexpectedly make a job extra special, there are some perks of being a mom that fill us with joy we never anticipated. Here are 25.
Perks of Being a Mom to Little Ones
1. Watching your child sleep
2. Taking in the world through their curious eyes (Use our Zoo Scavenger Hunt to notice all the animals.) 
3. Hugs and kisses that smell like maple syrup
4. Getting to be one of Santa’s elves, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy
5. Saturday mornings in PJs with pancakes (and extra time to snuggle)
6. Celebrating big achievements like a spoonful of yogurt making it into your toddler’s mouth
7. Playing with bubbles
8. Getting to go down the slide and swing on the monkey bars again
9. Having a built-in excuse to go to Disney World
10. A never-ending supply of amazing finger paintings and coloring book art
Perks of Being a Mom to Big Kids
11. Having an excuse to eat pizza (But did you really need an excuse?)
12. That first conversation where you can see that your teen has adopted your values as his own
13. Having a helper to run errands
14. Teaching your favorite games from when you were a kid
15. Watching the light in their eyes when they finally get something that’s been tough to learn
16. Watching them choose kindness over popularity
17. Seeing their passions and talents emerge
18. Always having something to laugh about (Let your kids perfect their joke-telling skills with this free printable!)
A Few More Perks of Being a Mom
19. Friendships with other moms
20. Passing down traditions and culture
21. Learning to lean on your husband more
22. Constant lessons in humility
23. Growing in patience and your ability to love unconditionally
24. Becoming a better version of yourself as you learn to forgive, love yourself better, and extend grace
25. Watching your child grow to understand the vast love of God
Tell us! What is one thing that makes your experience as a mom priceless?
Dana Hall McCain writes about marriage, parenting, faith and wellness. She is a mom of two, and has been married to a wonderful guy for over 18 years.
