There are days when I feel completely wiped. I notice more wrinkles and gray hair. I can barely fit into my jeans because my gym time has been sabotaged by my childrens’ activities. My kids run wild and they don’t seem to care what I say or do.
 
I buy groceries for the week and then we run out of milk. The kids cry, fight, and make demands.
 
There are days when there are more dirty dishes than clean dishes, when I want to take a nap in the laundry pile, and when I just want to hose the children down out back.
 
There are days when they refuse sleep and when they do finally conk out, I am stuck cleaning up LEGOs and Play-Doh.
 
And then there are the moments when everyone is at peace. When the snuggles and kisses overwhelm my heart and I want to freeze time.
 
There are the days when the bedtime routine takes longer because I spend time smelling their hair and listening to their stories.
 
I go to bed late because I can’t leave their room and because I choose to lie on their floor listening to them breathe and soaking in their innocence.
 
There are the mornings when I wake up to the sound of giggling and laughing. When I see my whole world in their eyes. When it hits me that they are mine. That I created life and that I am a driving force in their future.
 
These are the times I realize dirty dishes mean my kids are fed and dirty hands means my kids are active.
 
So to all the moms and dads having a bad day – know the good times are coming. And there are many more good days than bad.
 
Being a good parent can be tough, but the wet kisses make up for it.
 

Andrea Smolin

Andrea is a special education teacher in Virginia Beach, wife to a police officer, and mommy to three wild and amazing little men. She is passionate about working hard, equality, and living a healthy life. She is a lover of all things- especially when they involve caffeine and wine. Her work has been featured through Her View from Home, Scary Mommy-It’s Personal, Reader's Digest, Red Mill Living, Pregnancy Corner, Kindness Matters, and Love What Matters. When she isn't dreaming of saving the world, she is chasing after her three boys. Follow her on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mommyto3littlemen/ or on Twitter @Andreapsmolin