Mama Reads Monday – Being In the Trenches, Productivity, and MORE!

Don’t Forget to Make Time for Some “Mama Reads”…

How was your week?  Mine was insanely busy.  I just got back home from four days at the Focused Blogging Conference in Richmond, Virginia.  I got to meet so many blogging friends that I’ve only known virtually for so long.  And I learned more than I will ever have time to implement.  So exciting, but overwhelming and exhausting, too.  I hope to take a little more mama time to rest this week.

Have a busy week coming up?  (I know, I know – what mama doesn’t?!)  Need some encouragement or just something to read in your downtime?  Here are my favorite “Mama Reads” for you…

My Favorite “Mama Reads” This Week:

• Why Consistency May Not Be Key to Good Parenting – YES!  This is what I’m always saying, too.  My kids and I are changing every day.  And it’s so important to remember to reassess and adjust to them and their changing needs and situations.

“So much of parenting is trial and error. Instead of being locked into one particular way of parenting, we can be free to try something different or think about things in a different way. Not everything will work for your family, and that is OK! Being open to learning and growing as a parent may allow you to meet each of your kids in a way that works best for them.”

• We’re Not As Normal As We Look – This post is about parenting a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (which I do – times two), but is actually relevant to anyone who parents a child with an unseen disability and really great for everyone to read to further their understanding of this unique challenge.  It’s so important to remember when viewing other mamas and their children that we might not see everything.

“You see it might look like we’re running late again; but the reality is that he had a 30 minute meltdown on the stairs because he couldn’t handle transitioning to a different floor of our house.”

• Taking Care of Yourself in the Trenches – I got the chance to meet this amazing blogging mama this week, and I’m so blessed to have been able to.  She’s so wise and encouraging.  Example…

“We’ve got to get better at our big picture thinking. Type A moms, in particular, tend to view life as a snapshot. So, if it don’t look great in the Polaroid, all hell has broken loose. Type B moms have the advantage of seeing life like a video. It’s okay if it’s not done now, it’ll get done later. It’s okay if this hasn’t happened, we’ll survive. When we’re in the trenches and wondering how we are ever going to get out and if we’ll ever get a reprieve, zoom out. Realize that most things will pass. New seasons will come. God does have more for you to do than just changing diapers.

And yet, changing diapers is honoring to your child and honoring to God.”

• 12 Habits of Highly Productive People – This is what I’m working on recently: being more productive while I am working so I can focus on my family while I am not.  My favorite of these tips is #12.

“Like most things in life, being productive requires a good attitude. At the end of the day, looking at the bright side and choosing to see the accomplishments rather than the missteps means that you’ll feel better, sleep better, and be better prepared to be productive again tomorrow.”

Some Mama Reads from B-Inspired Mama:

Note – I have decided to change Mama Reads to just a weekly feature, without the link party at the bottom.  But I’d still love to read your words and hear from you!  If you have an encouraging or inspiring blog post to share, feel free to post it any day on B-Inspired Mama’s facebook wall.

How do you find encouragement and inspiration during your busy days, Mama?  Do these “Mama Reads” help?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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