May 2025
Bumps, bruises, falls, and a regular use of the word “no”. Anyone who denies original sin or that people are born sinners should just spend a day with a toddler. They will live out and show out the things that we battle daily. They challenge us to die to ourselves while being the most selfish people in the room. Once they leave infancy and begin moving and exploring the world for themselves, that is when the real work begins. If you’re blessed, you might get to sleep through the night or even rest at nap time, to help you keep up with them all day. For some, another infant is coming along behind or an older sibling demanding use of that nap time, which makes for a tired momma coping with her sinful nature while in a standoff with a small want-to-be dictator.
It can be challenging to establish and maintain boundaries. Consistency is key with toddlers, and they can wear you down. It feels like you are constantly watching where they are going, what they are getting into, and cleaning up books and toys. Even if you can get them to put the toys in a bin, you have to stand there and remind them, demonstrate how to put things away, cheer them on when they do, and discipline when they don’t. Toddlers are at the age that they can understand what you want and expect them to do, but they are also old enough to ignore what you say and do what they want. They will exert their wills and test your patience. Time management gets more difficult when you have to plan 30 minutes for getting shoes on, when someone says, “I’s do it myself.” However, even as they learn, they teach us. Are we not the very same way? Yes, we may not throw the outward, laying on the floor, thrashing about, screaming at the top of our lungs, tantrum that they do, but we are often doing that on the inside. We may have learned to hide it, but we get frustrated, angry, jealous, irrational, and annoyed when things don’t go the way we want. Toddlers present our sins before us and help us to realize just how much we need the mercy and grace of the Lord. As mothers, we must also extend that mercy and grace to our children.
Time with the Lord is still an essential element of your day. That time with the Lord will help bring peace to your weary soul. It can be difficult, amid the chasing of a toddler, to have time to sit down and read or study. Consider reading just a chapter a day, or work on memorizing one verse at a time. Ask the Lord to help you keep His word and time with Him as a priority in your day. Get to it first thing in the morning, during nap time or quiet time during the day, or whatever works best with your schedule and family. There is value in teaching your children that there are times they should not interrupt you. A well-known story is that of Suzanna Wesley, who was the mother of 19 children, including John and Charles Wesley. She was said to have pulled her apron up over her head to form a type of tent as a bit of respite from a busy household. It served as a signal (and also an example) to her children that she was reading God’s Word and/or praying and was not to be disturbed. Prioritize your time; it is your lifeline to the days that all seem the same. It will help you not to grow weary in the high calling God has given to you, as He equips you through His word. It helps to read how the Lord is patient, loving, kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, and gracious to us. Ephesians 4:32 encourages us to, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” This is especially true of our children.
Don’t try to do it all yourself. Parenting is not ment to be a solo operation. Children have been given a mother and father for a reason. Lean on your husband for guidence and help, especially in the areas of training and discipline. Follow his leadership and find comfort in knowing you don’t have to have all the answers. Part of consistency is continual communication so your children can’t play you against each other (which they learn to do at a suprizingly early age)! Find an older woman, maybe your mother or an older lady at your church, who can offer you help and advice. This should be someone that you feel comfortable going to, not only for “spiritual questions”, but also for daily living, disciplining children, cooking and cleaning, and all other matters-of-life type questions. If you are an older, or more experienced, mom, you should be ready to offer support, encouragement, and instruction to younger, more inexepreinced moms. Titus 2:3-5 tells us, “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” We should be found living consistently with the Word of God so that others may not criticize or insult the Word of God!
Motherhood can be exhausting. It can seem like a thankless job or an unending circle of sameness. However, we are exhorted in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Can we pick up toys and wash clothes to the glory of God? Yes! We were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, this should be found in all of life, even those day-to-day tasks. However, you were not made to walk this journey alone. Prioritize time is Scripture and prayer, leaning on the Lord for strenghth. Follow the leadership of your husband. He is a parent as well, and can provide much-needed help and relief. It is much easier to be consistent and firm on boundries when you have someone else by your side helping and reminding you. Find support, encouragement, help, and support from the Church! Surround yourself with a community of believers that will not only enourage you in your walk with Christ, but also in your journey of motherhood. Life is a journey, and you won’t be here for long.