Dear Kids, I Love You—But Leave Me Alone

Our Keepsake Journal is Here! 🎉

To my dearest children,

As I am sure you must be aware, my love for you both is greater than the whole entire sky.

You are my heart and soul.

My reason for being.

The yins to my yang.

That being said, can I ask you a teeny tiny little favor?

It’s a very small one, I promise!

Please, please, for the love of God . . . can you leave me the heck alone?! Holy moly! It is now past 9 p.m. and both of you have the gall to ask for more cookies or a three-course dinner or whatever the heck else you were whining about.

It’s late! And I am so stinking tired! My head feels like it may fall off. I have something I need to say, and consider it your five-minute warning:

Mommy is off duty.

Yes, off duty!

You surely know what I am talking about. Remember last week in the grocery store, when the lady could not ring us up because she had just gone off duty? Both of you freaked out that your sugary, unhealthy, fattening snacks would not make it out of the place. Well, of course you do! And that is what I mean.

I am done.

Finito!

Farewell my loves!

I know it is going to be a rough few hours. However, I have every ounce of confidence you will soldier on without me.

You can do it!

Let us take the nighttime routine, for example. You guys will rock it! I have seen it with my very own eyes. I have witnessed you turn on the light in the bathroom, get out the toothbrushes and proceed to brush those pearly whites.

It’s pretty amazing, I must say!

You don’t need me for accompaniment; I assure you there is no monster hiding in the toilet bowl. Also, I spotted you using those capable little hands to turn on the faucet. I know it happened at least one time in the past six years!

Believe me, I am aware of what you must be thinking:

“Mommy, can’t do this to us!”

“She has to at least wait for us to go to bed!”

“And what about those dishes?”

Just kidding about that last part, my loves. I know you are not the least bit worried about those dishes. You are under the impression they clean themselves.

But, I digress . . .

I may seem like superwoman sometimes, but I’m really not. I get tired, too. Remember the last time the stomach virus made its way around the house? Everyone had a chance to sleep, heal, and get well.

Except for me. I get no rest in this joint.

Ever.

I remember holding you as newborn babies. I cried and cried.

Your daddy thought it was because I was completely in love. Well, he was half right. I was completely in love, but I was also scared. I was scared I would never get a lick of sleep again.

Although you both are totally worth the exhaustion, it does take a toll after a while.

I am sure you rug rats can understand. Picture this: you just had a long day of reading, writing, running around, and listening to authority figures at school. Then you come home and I ask you to do homework, chores, and clean up.

It’s a lot to ask, no?

I understand. In fact, I understand so much that I am tired just thinking about it. Mommy has responsibilities, too.

Believe it or not, while you are sleeping soundly, I continue with my own chores.

My days are long.

Usually I don’t mind, but tonight I really needed a break from it all.

I’m so glad you understand. And guess what? I am all for it if you guys ever request a much-needed break. I will be behind you every step of the way (and I mean that literally—I am constantly following you to pick up all the stuff thrown on the floor).

Anyway, I will see you guys tomorrow.

Okie dokie?

When the sun comes up, I will be back at it—serving, working, and catering to all your needs.

Until then, I am sending my love, prayers and fingers crossed for an uneventful night that includes nothing broken, stained, or drawn on with permanent marker.

Love you bunches!

Yours always and forever,
One exhausted mama

You may also like:

A Mother’s Mind Never Rests, Because We Carry The Mental Load

Someday I’ll Long For These Days, But Today is Not That Day

The Nights Are So Long

Want more stories of love, family, and faith from the heart of every home, delivered straight to you? Sign up here!

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!

Order Now

So God Made a Mother's Story Keepsake Journal

Her View Shop

Kathleen Sullivan

I am a freelance writer and full-time mom. My work has appeared on: The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Brain, Child Magazine, Mamalode xoJane, Parentco., Mommyish and Your Tango. I can also be found blogging at: http://www.threekidsonehusbandandabottleofwine.com/

Dear Child, You Are Not Responsible for How Anyone Else Feels about You

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen, Tween

Teen girl looking in the mirror putting on earrings

Dear kiddo, I have so many dreams for you. A million hopes and desires run through my mind every day on a never-ending loop, along with worries and fears, and so, so much prayer. Sometimes, it feels like my happiness is tied with ropes of steel to yours. And yet, the truth is, there are times you disappoint me. You will continue to disappoint me as you grow and make your own choices and take different paths than the ones I have imagined for you. But I’m going to tell you a secret (although I suspect you already know): My...

Keep Reading

Being a Hands-on Dad Matters

In: Kids, Living

I am a hands-on dad. I take pride in spending time with my kids. Last week I took my toddler to the park. He’s two and has recently outgrown peek-a-boo, but nothing gets him laughing like him seeing me pop into the slide to scare him as he goes down. He grew to like this so much that he actually would not go down the slide unless he saw me in his range of vision going down. When it’s time to walk in the parking lot he knows to hold my hand, and he grabs my hand instinctively when he needs help...

Keep Reading

5 Kids in the Bible Who Will Inspire Yours

In: Faith, Kids

Gathering my kids for morning Bible study has become our family’s cornerstone, a time not just for spiritual growth but for real, hearty conversations about life, courage, and making a difference. It’s not perfect, but it’s ours. My oldest, who’s 11, is at that age where he’s just beginning to understand the weight of his actions and decisions. He’s eager, yet unsure, about his ability to influence his world. It’s a big deal for him, and frankly, for me too. I want him to know, deeply know, that his choices matter, that he can be a force for good, just...

Keep Reading

A Mother’s Love is the Best Medicine

In: Kids, Motherhood

Child lying on couch under blankets, color photo

When my kids are sick, I watch them sleep and see every age they have ever been at once. The sleepless nights with a fussy toddler, the too-hot cheeks of a baby against my own skin, the clean-up duty with my husband at 3 a.m., every restless moment floods my thoughts. I can almost feel the rocking—so much rocking—and hear myself singing the same lullaby until my voice became nothing but a whisper. I can still smell the pink antibiotics in a tiny syringe. Although my babies are now six and nine years old, the minute that fever spikes, they...

Keep Reading

Right Now I’m a Mom Who’s Not Ready to Let Go

In: Child, Kids, Motherhood

Mother and daughter hugging, color photo

We’re doing it. We’re applying, touring, and submitting pre-school applications. It feels a lot like my college application days, and there’s this image in my mind of how fast that day will come with my sweet girl once she enters the school doors. It’s a bizarre place to be because if I’m honest, I know it’s time to let her go, but my heart is screaming, “I’m not ready yet!” She’s four now though. Four years have flown by, and I don’t know how it happened. She can put her own clothes on and take herself to the bathroom. She...

Keep Reading

Each Child You Raise is Unique

In: Kids, Motherhood

Three little boys under a blanket, black-and-white photo

The hardest part about raising children? Well, there’s a lot, but to me, one major thing is that they are all completely different than one another. Nothing is the same. Like anything. Ever. Your first comes and you basically grow up with them, you learn through your mistakes as well as your triumphs. They go to all the parties with you, restaurants, sporting events, traveling—they just fit into your life. You learn the dos and don’ts, but your life doesn’t change as much as you thought. You start to think Wow! This was easy, let’s have another. RELATED: Isn’t Parenting...

Keep Reading

Our Kids Need Us as Much as We Need Them

In: Kids, Motherhood

Little boy sitting on bench with dog nearby, color photo

During a moment of sadness last week, my lively and joyful toddler voluntarily sat with me on the couch, holding hands and snuggling for a good hour. This brought comfort and happiness to the situation. At that moment, I realized sometimes our kids need us, sometimes we need them, and sometimes we need each other at the same time. Kids need us. From the moment they enter the world, infants express their needs through tiny (or loud) cries. Toddlers need lots of cuddling as their brains try to comprehend black, white, and all the colors of the expanding world around...

Keep Reading

Your Kids Don’t Need More Things, They Need More You

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood

Mother and young girl smiling together at home

He reached for my hand and then looked up. His sweet smile and lingering gaze flooded my weary heart with much-needed peace. “Thank you for taking me to the library, Mommy! It’s like we’re on a date! I like it when it’s just the two of us.” We entered the library, hand in hand, and headed toward the LEGO table. As I began gathering books nearby, I was surprised to feel my son’s arms around me. He gave me a quick squeeze and a kiss with an “I love you, Mommy” before returning to his LEGO—three separate times. My typically...

Keep Reading

This Time In the Passenger Seat is Precious

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen

Teen driver with parent in passenger seat

When you’re parenting preteens and teens, it sometimes feels like you are an unpaid Uber driver. It can be a thankless job. During busy seasons, I spend 80 percent of my evenings driving, parking, dropping off, picking up, sitting in traffic, running errands, waiting in drive-thru lines. I say things like buckle your seat belt, turn that music down a little bit, take your trash inside, stop yelling—we are in the car, keep your hands to yourself, don’t make me turn this car around, get your feet off the back of the seat, this car is not a trash can,...

Keep Reading

So God Made My Daughter a Wrestler

In: Kids, Motherhood

Young female wrestler wearing mouth guard and wrestling singlet

God made my girl a wrestler. Gosh, those are words I would never have thought I would say or be so insanely proud to share with you. But I am. I know with 100 percent certainty and overwhelming pride that God made my girl a wrestler. But it’s been a journey. Probably one that started in the spring of 2010 when I was pregnant with my first baby and having the 20-week anatomy ultrasound. I remember hearing the word “girl” and squealing. I was over the moon excited—all I could think about were hair bows and cute outfits. And so...

Keep Reading