And For My Next Trick…
Ever feel like being a mom is kind of like being a magician? Need 32 cookies for school tomorrow? Presto! It’s done. Have to get three kids to three different places at once? Voila! They will all magically appear at their preferred destinations. It takes more than a slight of hand, a bunny and a wand to make these things happen. It takes mommy magic.
Every mother I know stores more information in her head than a super computer. We have to know each kid’s birthday, allergies, food preferences, sensitivities, learning style—the list goes on. You get it—it’s a lot of things to keep in your brain only to be recalled at precisely the correct moment. And that’s just your kids.
What’s your dry cleaner’s name? How about your mail person? What days are trash days? Who do you call when you have a plumbing issue? You also are probably fortunate enough to be in charge of your household. Bills, maintenance, long-term upkeep—all part of your magic act.
The magic is that: 1. You manage to get any of this done with any sort of regularity 2. You haven’t had a mental breakdown (yet) 3. Your magic is so good that NO ONE even notices the slight of hand. That’s right, all of these things magically happen so seamlessly that no one even notices that you’ve done your tricks. Perhaps it’s a testament to your craft?
We moms are so good at taking things on and magically making them happen. We just do it. We don’t often ask for help. We don’t often take credit. We don’t want to let anyone in on the secret behind the magic. But, why not? Why don’t we debunk the myth that we all have magical powers that mystically accomplish the giant list of things our family’s need?
The truth is the real magic, is not so magical at all–it is long days and tired brains and constantly second guessing yourself. It’s hundreds of lists. It’s tons of mini-freak outs that we won’t actually pull it off. It’s the constant niggling feeling that you’ve forgotten something, or worse, someone. You are just as surprised as your audience when you finally pull that rabbit out of your hat.
The fact that we do all of this on the regular is sort of magical. Why don’t we appreciate our magical powers? Why don’t we feel comfortable admitting that just surviving an average Wednesday is sometimes a real accomplishment? Let’s stop pretending that all of the things just magically happen and start calling it what it is: organization, planning, precision. It’s like a military operation to make it through some of these days in the middle. But, in the end, when that Wednesday is done and you sit back and realize that your list is (mostly) crossed off, your people are (relatively) happy and safe—that, my friends, is the real magic. The magic is in the knowing you can do it. You’ve proven to yourself yet again that you’ve got the skills and more than one trick up your sleeve. Ta-Dah!!