In the hectics of everyday lives with small kids, we often get overwhelmed with everything that seems to be expected of us. Or more precisely what we seem to expect of ourselves. Our houses spotless, our patience impeccable, our kids happy and well behaved: doing great in school, going to all kinds of activities from sports to music. And on top of all that be a productive and successful worker and getting enough sleep, eating healthy and work out. All with a smile on your face. But you can't. I can't. No one can. We are only human and the day only has 24 hours. And when we feel overwhelmed the smallest of things can crack us. And the smallest of people.
One of my #NYR was to be a better, kinder parent. So I wanted to take another challenge, something I did on my facebook page a few years ago as a way to cope with postpartum depression, 100 days of happiness. The idea is to post a picture each day, a picture of what makes you happy, what makes you grateful. A picture accompanied by a small caption.
I think we as parents, mothers especially, tend to just be stuck in the harshness and mess of day to day lives and forget how beautiful that day could be. Forget how amazing those little humans you raise can be.
Parenting is something often dismissed by folks without kids. Kids are often looked on with a certain despise, certain disgust. Like annoying stuff, not even humans, that get in the way of enjoying the world. Like that annoying kid that cries in the store. Or the annoying kid that runs around the table when you try to drink coffee in peace. I get that vibe from many folks I know that have no kids. Even my fellow steemers here. Oh if the kids were like dogs, cats or something nice, fluffy and quite. Well, screw you. I honestly believe that folks who don't like and understand kids are humans and should be treated as such are shitty people. Kids are all that is great about being a human. They love unconditionally, they are constantly curious they laugh, they play, they are honest and notice even the smallest of things and tend to find beauty and marvel at everything. I sometimes wonder if the folks who hate kids are just miserable assholes jealous of their joy?
All those woke and hip people chanting about bringing change to the world and making it better and talking politics, and voting, and ecology and vegetarianism and whatnot all while at the same time being an asshole to small humans who are the future, who are the change. Humans who have the love and the curiosity and the will the learn everything about everything. So instead of belittling and dismissing them teach them about music, about animals and about traveling and about all kinds of people and cultures and movements and even politics. You don't have to give any kids (especially mine) special treatment just treat them as an equal. Just a smaller one. Cherish their innocence, give them love and respect and watch how they make the world better for you.
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So back to the challenge. It's primarily a challenge for me. To remind myself of all the things I can be grateful and happy for. It's basically like an inspirational shit post challenge but sometimes the best things come in a few words. And a photo. So if you would like to follow along, use the #happydays hashtag and I'll give you my two cents. Literally. Because my voting power is so low. Have a 7 day happy challenge or a 30 day or even a 364 day one. It's up to you.
I look forward to seeing posts from you. I should probably come up with some catch finishing phrase for my posts.
The lovely photos I use in this post are one of the most cherished baby photos I have from my kids. They were all taken by this amazing photographer and a dear friend of mine Sanja Lydia. I shared her work in the past here on the platform but now she joyned Steemit so be sure to check her out.