There always seems to be something that we could be doing, something vying for our attention or something that we’ve put off for a long time. 

You might start to wonder: how are we so busy, yet so bored? 

Especially in the context of early motherhood, the days don’t look all that different. There are nap times, diaper changes, feedings, and then you repeat it all over again. Sure, there are special moments each day, but the routine can be so mundane and so… boring. 

Once the days start to flow into each other and the things that used to feel special don’t anymore, what are you supposed to do? How do you escape feeling swamped and bogged down by the same things happening each day? How can we find joy in the mundane, repetitive parts of our lives?

Be Grateful. 

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right… think about such things. ~ Philippians 4:8 

You are going to look back on these days and remember looking over at your baby and them instantly lighting up because they know your face and your voice. You aren’t going to remember cleaning up the high chair for the 5th time that day. 

The key is to identify and cherish the special moments in each day. At the end of the day, when you’re going over the day in your head, try to find that great moment, and focus on that. 

If you focus on the bad, you will find it. If you focus on the good, you’ll find it. 

It takes intentional work on our part to find the good and focus on it, because we naturally want to complain, and it seems like the hard parts of our days are what stick in our minds. Sometimes, keeping a gratitude journal can remind us that goodness exists in every day.

And no, it’s not easy. But putting in the work will repay dividends in the end.

Reframe the Mundane

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. ~Colossians 3:23-24

We have the privilege of taking care of our kids every day and being the ones who have the most influence over their lives.

I am mostly speaking to myself at this point, but we need to find a way to speak positively to ourselves about our struggles to find a better way to wrestle with them.

So, instead of “I have to do this,”

We say, “I get to do this.”

I get to take care of my child. I get to provide for them. I get to be a security blanket for them. I get to love them.

I have to actively choose that diaper changes are not a chore, but rather an opportunity for me to connect with my child and spend a little bit of intentional time with them. They are not just an annoying, stinky part of motherhood, but rather a small act of love that I get to provide my baby with a clean diaper, and a second spent completely with them where I get to try to make them smile and talk with them.

You are building a foundation that will last a lifetime for your child. Will it be solid or shaky? They know the difference.

This is not to say there won’t be hard days. Believe me, I’ve known my fair share of extremely hard days that push you to your breaking point.

But this season is fleeting. Soon, we will have quiet again and miss the chaos. Soon, we will reminisce about the days of wiping noses and helping kids put their jackets on.

Change Your Perspective

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. ~Psalms 90:12

Parenting is kingdom work. You are actively shaping little hearts to follow Jesus. You are a missionary in your own home.

While it might not feel as “important” as going to Africa to seek people who have never heard the gospel, every day you are taking care of and showing people who have never heard the gospel, and you have the opportunity to make a huge impact into their lives.

And while changing diapers and singing nursery rhymes might feel mundane, they are expressions of love to our kids. It makes them feel safe and secure.

Grounded in Gratitude

The Bible says to capture every thought (2 Cor. 10:5). It’s not just what comes out of your mouth that’s important; you must focus on the right things in your head and your heart. 

Inevitably, you will find yourself on the hard days focusing on how you would pay $100 to not have to change another diaper for the day. It’s hard when we do the same task over and over again. But you wouldn’t trade the world to be there when your kid giggles at you. You, as the parent, get to be part of sweet, special moments more than anyone else in your kid’s life. You get to watch tiny babies grow into full adults. 

It’s really difficult to treasure moments when they happen all the time.

When the kids are babies, and you are with them 24/7, it can become difficult to remember that these are times that you will miss. Every stage that kids go through has good and bad aspects, but we must remember to stay grateful for the good parts because they might not always be around.

My toddler won’t fall asleep in my arms anymore, so I will treasure the fact that my baby does. And when my baby isn’t anymore, I will treasure the fact that I have more free time. 

Perspective can profoundly impact our mindset, it helps us to be more thankful if we let it. This isn’t to diminish the hard times, and there will be hard times. But even in those times, if we can just find one thing to be thankful for, even if that thing is that we have a roof over our heads or that no one got hurt today, it makes a big difference in our lives.

Seek God on the Hard Days

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ~2 Corinthians 12:9

My gosh, these kids really know how to push us to the edge, don’t they? It’s just multiple hard days in a row, and it makes you feel like you’re going crazy. And it feels so incredibly hard to do it on your own

The good news is that you’re not on your own.

The Holy Spirit is dwelling inside of you, and He is ready to help you. Rely on the Holy Spirit, and pray that He would supernaturally produce the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control). Because it is the Holy Spirit that can produce that fruit, not us.

And even on the days when our tank is empty and we feel like we have nothing left, He can still produce that fruit for us.

I’ve started the practice of praying before I discipline one of my kids. I don’t always do it, but it goes better when I do. If I take a moment to ask for wisdom and seek the Lord, it is much easier for me to think clearly rather than out of anger.

The hard days will come, and you will feel completely burnt out, then that child will look to you, sit on your lap and tell you they love you. It completely melts your heart. And it doesn’t negate the hard times, but it can help us to reframe our focus so that we look at those sweet, good moments and don’t let the day be defined by the hard moments.

Let’s be intentional about the time we have with our little ones and seek the joy that can come from the Lord to help us enjoy this precious time.