Being The Right Kind of Mom

Last week I was flipping through Facebook. I saw an article on a homeschool page I follow. The article told about the childhood of a girl whose mother was spontaneous and carefree. But it wasn't the article that captured my attention, it was the response below it. The response was this, "I wish I could be more like that." I paused and then kept on flipping, a couple days later I was going about doing household chores when the article and the response came floating into my mind. As I thought of the article and the response I wondered if my children would be better off if I was more carefree. Immediately a rebuking thought gently but boldly admonished me, I am exactly the right kind of mother for my children, Heavenly Father sent these sweet spirits to me because I am the just the right kind of mom for them.
Ever since I began to raise children I compared myself to others, trying to figure out if I was doing it "right". At the same time I struggled because it seemed like the talents I had been dealt did not seem to mesh the required set of talents for being a mom and taking care of a household. I'm creative, artistic, I love to throw a great party, but these talents didn't seem to have anything to do with the skills I needed to be a good mom. A good mom meant a kept house, children who wore matching shoes. I envied those with the natural ability to keep a clean house, how limiting for me and them.
I still have a long way to go. My children aren't very old and still have plenty to teach me, but this I do know, being a mom has made me a better, drawn me to knees and closer to Christ. So the next time you feel the demon of guilt or inadequacy, remember, you aren't meant to be like anyone else, the only thing you need and God needs is for you to be the best version of you!