The blog over at ThePregnantChicken.com has an awesome piece entitled Why You’re Never Failing as a Mother (it is fabulous and I highly recommend reading it). It dovetails nicely with the image making the rounds on my facebook feed:

It also reminded me of a conversation I had at the kid’s play date this morning. It has been raining heavily the last few days so we’ve all been going a little stir-crazy.

There is only so much playing in the downpour (but never when there’s lightning!) that the kids are willing to do. After a time we’ve started to strain our brains, creative abilities, and kid’s developmental levels with craft projects, and baking.

Thankfully today the rain held off and we were able to go to the park, the kids splashed in the puddles, collected pine cones and generally ran around while we sat and reminded ourselves that they were practicing developmentally appropriate behavior for their ages.

They are not trying to drive us crazy intentionally, they are little kids. They are three, they are eighteen months, they are almost four, they are nearly one. They are inquisitive, they want limits, they need boundaries, they demand a snack. They are explorers, collectors, investigators, inquisitors, climbers, messy, sticky, delightful little children.

The world will not stop if the laundry is not done right now. It is okay if some paint gets on their pants. So they’ve stripped themselves naked and covered themselves with sidewalk chalk… these things happen.

I managed to make three meals today, plus a few snacks. I got both kids and myself out of the house in all their mud-gear and boots for a 9:30 play date, and we went to the grocery store and post office (where they were complimented on their exemplary behavior) after lunch. The kids were in bed (and mostly asleep) by 6:30, and now I’m doing another load of laundry.

I’m not failing, I’m accomplishing slowly. One of these days I’ll get around to all the fun crafts I’ve got bookmarked, although, by the time I have all that free time, I’ll probably want to do something else.