Motherhood sometimes feels like one long test, doesn’t it? Only with this test, you don’t discover if you’ve passed or failed until your kids are adults! One of the reasons I believe moms are drawn to Birds on a Wire is because they want someone to tell them they’re passing this hard test! Or maybe they need someone who will gently tell them they’ve made a few errors while there’s still time to go back and correct their work. Well moms, hear me say this: motherhood is not a test!!

This week on the podcast we chatted about the lessons I have learned in my 29 years of parenting and I thought a lot about that mom in the picture above. If I could sit down with her have a heart to heart, here’s what I’d say:

#1 You are doing a good job, so don’t give up! You think at times you are being too strict, but your children end up making good choices, and your “strictness” is going to work out.

#2 Don’t sweat the small stuff. If Emily’s bow doesn’t match, or she doesn’t wear a bow at all, that is okay. (Psst… Emily turns out to have a super cute style that is all her own. Let her roll with her creativity!)

#3 What matters in the long run is teaching your child God loves them and wants a relationship with them.

#4 What will aid your children most in life is teaching them to work hard and never give up. Give them chances to take responsibility for their own actions, and teach them not to blame others.

#5 Breathe, momma! It is all going to be okay!

What are the lessons you’ve learned so far in your mothering journey? If your child is 16 years or even just 6 weeks old, you have already learned so much, I promise! What if you took a few minutes this week to write yourself a note, reminding yourself of just how much you have learned on your journey as a mom? Then, in the coming weeks, when you see bad behavior (in yourself or in your child) and you’re tempted to think parenting is a test you’re failing… pull out your note and remind yourself that this is HARD, that you are doing all right, and it is all going to be okay.

You are an awesome mom!

If you are struggling to give yourself grace on your journey of motherhood, please, please pick up a copy of my little book, The Art of Motherhood. I think it is the most important thing I have written and I want you all to hear this encouraging message.