 Back when my children were in preschool, all of us moms took turns bringing in the snack for the day.
Some moms brought in elaborate, homemade delights—rainbow fruit kabobs, muffins made from scratch, or tiny jars of applesauce lovingly simmered on stovetops. Some offered what I’d call a solid homegrown effort—popcorn popped on the stove or apples neatly sliced beside a scoop of peanut butter. And then there were moms like me--Moms who swung by the grocery store on the way to school and walked in with Goldfish crackers, a pouch of pretzels or applesauce cups with foil lids. I remember one particular morning. Alyssa and I had just dropped Tyler off at kindergarten. We dashed into the store to grab the snack I had forgotten to buy the day before. It wasn’t fancy, but it was done. A small relief. A quiet success. But when we arrived at school, something unexpected happened. As I handed the bag to the teacher, she peeked inside and said with a soft smile, "Oh. You're the simple mom." Oof. That stung. Not because she was cruel—but because, deep down, I feared that maybe being the "simple mom" meant I wasn’t enough. I wasn’t the mom with the Pinterest-worthy snacks. I wasn’t the one showing up with homemade anything. I was just doing my best. And that morning, my best looked like store-bought crackers and getting there on time. But over the years, I’ve learned something: Being the simple mom doesn’t mean you’re falling short. It means you’ve chosen to show up—in the way that works for you. You’ve chosen presence over perfection. Love over performance. Sanity over sparkle. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE sparkle!) And friend, here we are again, in the chaos of May—the new December. Field trips. Final projects. Class parties. Permission slips. Sports banquets. Art shows. Teacher gifts. Reading logs. Snacks for days. It’s a beautiful, bustling blur. And you, mama, are in the thick of it—holding it all together with a calendar that looks more like a patchwork quilt and a heart stretched in ten directions. But pause for just a breath. And hear me say this: You’re doing an amazing job. Yes, the days are long. Yes, emotions are high. Yes, you’ve served Chick-fil-A twice this week and the laundry pile is plotting a takeover. But this is not failure. This is love in motion. And your kids? They won’t remember whether the cookies were homemade. They’ll remember that you were there—Cheering. Showing up. Taking the picture. Packing the snack. Loving them through the mess. So if today you’re the mom with the Goldfish, know this: You are wildly, wonderfully enough. You’re not behind. You’re right where you’re needed. You’re not failing. You’re finishing strong. This isn’t about snacks. This is about grace. And I see you. Let’s breathe through this final stretch together. And maybe even smile while we do it. Summer’s coming. You’ve got this, mama. P.S. If your soul is craving a little more calm in the chaos, I have a gift for you. It’s called The Ultimate Guide to Guilt-Free Self-Care—designed especially for busy women like you who give so much to everyone else. This isn’t about bubble baths (though those are lovely). It’s about real, life-giving practices that restore your energy, peace, and joy—without the guilt. Click HERE to download your free guide. You deserve care, too, sweet friend.
1 Comment
|