A Gratitude Letter to ME!

I had a thought this morning that I wanted to share with you!

I know that I SO often put myself down about how I parent, about the choices I make, about what I haven’t done today etc … You know the story!  But then when I DO look at the great stuff I say and do for my kids I can see how friggen lucky they are that they have me as their Mother! So I thought that I could write a letter from them to me!  You know…a pretend letter!  I’m not going to wait for THEM to write to me after all!  It might NEVER happen!!! 

And why would I do this?  To stroke my ego?  To make them feel like they owe me? NO and NO!  Rather it's to make my mind focus on all the awesomeness that I am rather than all the yuckiness that I sometimes am!  And why is this important?  Because when I feel good about myself I AM a better Mum!  I have a better day!  And my kids are calmer, feel safer, whinge less and feel happier!  Totally worth it right? 

So here we go!

Dear Mum

Thank you for being my Mum. 

Thank you for wiping my bum. (I just wrote that coz it rhymes ... and is true of course)

Thank you for choosing to speak to me kindly, when really you wanted to yell really loudly!

Thank you for giving me fun activities to do, when really you wanted to do what YOU wanted to do.

Thank you for birthing me gently into the world, so my first experience of life was one that makes me feel safe and secure and happy to be here.

Thank you for not making me go to school when you knew that all I wanted to was to hang out with you!

Thank you for taking me on holidays, so that I could grow up with fun and happy memories!

Thank you for giving me chocolate and lollies, when you wished that I loved green smoothies and carrots.

Thank you for planting flowers in the garden, so that I could admire them and pick them for you.

Thank you for buying us a big goofy dog, so that I could experience loving an animal.

Thank you for giving me boobies mostly whenever I wanted, so that I could experience having my needs taken care of.

Thank you for cuddling me close at nighttime, so I could feel safe and sleep soundly.

Thank you for keeping our house tidy and clean (most of the time) so I could play in it safely and find my toys and not get sick!

Thank you for trusting me enough to let me learn in my own way, in my own time.

Thank you for choosing Daddy to be your husband so that I could experience having a solid, grounded male presence in my life.

Thank you for never leaving me for good, when I knew you were exhausted and frustrated and tired.

Thank you for being YOU (hippy, warts and all) because without you I wouldn’t be me!

Love 
Your KIDS!

---

My 4 girls a few years ago

Our dog Cookie when he was a puppy.

Your letter will look different to mine of course because we all give of ourselves in our own special ways.  Just ask yourself questions like:

• What physical stuff have you given to your children and what have they gained from having that stuff in their lives?  
  
• What experiences have you given to your children?
  
• What virtues have your children learnt from you because of the way you parent?
  
• What skills have you passed on to your children?
  
• What choices have you made with the intention to benefit your children in some way?
  
• What have you “sacrificed” for your children? (don’t do this too often!!!) 
  
• How have you met your children’s needs?
  
• How have you supported your children?
  

See?  You deserve a massive pat on the back and 1000 Billion gold medals!  And no more criticising yourself OK?!? Because that in itself is what turns us into Mummy Monsters!  Scary!  Especially for our kids! 

So I challenge you to spend a few minutes writing a gratitude letter to yourself from you kids in the next 24 hours!  Do it!  You’ll feel like the Mother of the Year!