What Mother’s Day this year means

The world has invited us to be so much more than moms.

I’ve cried a couple of nights, seen my husband’s watery eyes as he explains how fundraising is going during the worst economic crisis in years. I’ve dealt with a teething toddler who wants to eat Lucky Charms for every meal and heard my father’s voice quiver for the first time.

These past few weeks have definitely been hard for all of us. But as the days go by, I’m starting to see myself differently. I see a calmer version of myself. I’m a more receptive partner and a more compassionate mom. I see a Play-Doh artist, a dance partner, a natural storyteller, and a LEGO architect. I see so much more than just a mom.

My creativity has been put to the test. Here’s how we’ve coped:

• We’ve learned food coloring makes pancakes way more fun.
• We’ve made stop lights with paper and used tape to set up a “street” in our hallway.
• We’ve allowed my son to run around the house 95% of the time barefoot and without pants on.
• We hug more. We listen more.
• We’ve watched endless reruns of a single episode of “Mighty Little Bheem” on Netflix.
• We’ve painted the solar system on our glass window and waited anxiously for the first star every evening.
• Most importantly, we’ve taught our son that no matter what is happening out in the world, he will always have a home with us. A place where he can feel safe, loved, and free. We can’t control what is happening outside, but we can control our attitude towards life in quarantine.

And yes, we have had hard days. Our 20-minute tantrums, and our struggles to get out of the bath. With no daycare, birthday parties, or swim lessons to go to, days can seem long. But we’ve somehow managed to be kinder, have more fun, and connect deeper than ever before.

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I know this Mother’s Day will be different. It will probably be quiet and spent inside. It’ll probably feel just like any other day. But this Mother’s Day, let’s give ourselves some self-love. Let’s be proud of how far we’ve come this year and enjoy the little things.

And let’s never forget this time, when the world invited us to become much more than a mom. Happy Mother’s Day from one tired, happy Kinedu mom! We’ll get through this.

Paloma Elosua is a Lifecycle Specialist at Kinedu. She lives in Monterrey, Mexico with her husband Francisco and son Francisco (18 months).