It Really Does Get Easier
No. 70 - Encouragement for Exhausted Parents (Plus a Book Giveaway)
On Memorial Day, we took our kids to the local Jewish Community Center we belong to. It was one of those easy, joy-filled days. We swam as a family, listened to music, and soaked in all the activities.
At one point, my husband and I looked at each other and just exhaled. It finally feels like we’ve made it. Or at least, made it to a new season.
We were both relaxing in poolside chairs, music playing in the background, while our kids sat next to us happily eating snow cones. We were about as hands off as we’ve been in nearly five years, and for the first time, we were truly starting to enjoy it.
That doesn’t mean the earlier years weren’t meaningful or full of sweet moments. And we’re certainly not through all the tough stuff. We still have a toddler who needs to be potty trained. But lately, family activities are starting to feel fun. Like actually fun.
I don’t feel quite so much like a vending machine, butler, or maid. I feel a little more like myself again. Someone who can sit still for a few minutes, laugh at a silly joke, sip coffee while it’s still warm, and enjoy the life unfolding around her.
We just got back from a trip to Cozumel, and it might have been one of the best weeks of my life. Everyone was able to do something they loved, and we all left feeling refreshed from fishing, painting, swimming, relaxing at the spa, or enjoying coffee by the beach. Yes, there were still diapers to change and tantrums to manage, but there were also two little boys with big personalities and growing opinions who were genuinely fun to be around.
It’s such a contrast from those early baby days, when everything felt so fragile. You’re sleep-deprived, physically drained, and constantly needed. Your baby can’t communicate, and you don’t know how to help. You second-guess everything.
If you’re in that phase right now, deep in the thick of it with young kids at home, I want to tell you something that no one says enough. It gets better. It gets easier. And it gets so much more fun.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m just starting to see it.
So hang in there. Give yourself all the grace. One day soon, you’ll sit by the pool while your kids eat snow cones beside you, and you’ll feel it too. That beautiful shift. And when you do, I hope you take a deep breath and soak it all in.
👙 I found some great items for our beach trip, like this matching shirt and pant combo that was perfect for dinner, and this flattering swimsuit that still worked well for playing with the kids. Everything is currently on sale.
🛏️ We traveled with these blow up bed rails and they worked wonderfully. They were light to pack, didn’t require a pump to blow up, and kept the kids from falling out of the bed!
☀️ I’m an avid sunscreen wearer, so i’ve been relying on these drops to give me a little glow. They’re easy to use, you just mix a few drops when applying your favorite lotion and they’re hard to mess up. I use the shade “medium”.
Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you have a great weekend!
🎉 In honor of the 70th edition of Modern Motherhood Musings, I’m giving away a copy of Carley Fortune’s new book One Golden Summer.
All you have to do is comment “summer” to be entered to win. The winner will be announced in next Friday’s newsletter.
Summer :)