If your child’s life were in danger, would you step in to save him, even if it meant losing your own life? Of course you would! Most mothers would sacrifice their own life for the life of their child. A mother’s sacrifice is no small thing.
Ladies, it’s not the big sacrifices that trip me up, it’s the “little ones.” Sometimes it’s more difficult to sacrifice the day-to-day things, wants and comforts as readily. It’s harder for me to sacrifice my online time to pay full attention to my son. Or to sacrifice my favorite TV show so I can get to bed earlier and be a less grouchy mom for my daughter. Here are 5 things we need to sacrifice regularly for our kids.
1. Your Unhealthy Habits.
Smoking? Give it up. Drinking too much? Give it up. Couch potato tendencies? Get up and get moving. Now, these things are not easy to stop but if we don’t, we will set up our children to have the same habits with the same consequences. Stop the bad habit cycle today.
2. Your Runaway Hobbies.
Do you spend more time working out each week than you do playing with your kids? Do you spend so much money on your hobby that it’s causing stress in your home? Do your kids think you love doing ___________ more than you love being with them? Again, hobbies are good for us. Moms work hard and we need diversions. But we also need to keep those hobbies in their proper place.
3. Your Screen Time.
When your kids think about you, do they envision you with a cell phone in one hand and your iPad or computer opened to Facebook? Do they picture you glued to the TV watching the Real Housewives while real life in your home goes on without your input? Screen time comes between moms and kids when the mom is so tuned into her screens that she can’t take a break and look her kids in the eye. Or they’ve just about given up asking you to watch them do something because you always say, “Wait! Just a minute!” so you can get a few more seconds to finish your text, email, or page load.
4. Your Bad Attitude Toward Your Husband.
You should have a voice in your marriage and you should be able to discuss issues that concern you with your husband, but when your attitude is so negative that you can’t find one good thing in him, you need to regroup and sacrifice your “right” to be negative. An older mentor of mine puts it this way, “What’s more important—your marriage or proving you’re right about ____________?” Bottom line: if your home is one big mess of tension between you and your husband, that’s not good for your kids. Talk with him about making your marriage better, stronger, and more peaceful. Do it for your children and it will end up benefitting you too.
5. Your “Grown Up” Things.
Does your tween really need to see Cosmo Magazine laying around the house? Do your kids really need to hear you complaining to your friends about so and so? Are they getting TMI about your weight and your diet plans? Those are all things that are legal, but are they beneficial to your kids? Sacrifice them for the sake of your kids.
What is one big sacrifice you can think of?
