The older my kids get, the more mental energy it takes to “mother” them. I’m not just talking about feeding them and running them to their activities and making sure they brush their teeth.

I’m talking about the mothering that takes place every time I pick up my daughter and we chat in the car and sit in the garage afterward talking about the day.

…when a child wants to talk through their schedule selection for next year.

…when someone can’t find their special water bottle.

…when I’m trying to figure out why a child seems to be a little more emotional than usual.

…when I’m torn between two kid’s interests or activities.

…when a child is learning to be independent and it’s painful to watch them stumble.

…when a child is hurt and feeling left out.

…when I know a child needs something but I just don’t know how to give it to them.

…when I desperately want to hear a child’s frustrations and they can’t communicate them.

Mothering is carrying the weight of each child’s concerns, worries and luckily their excitement and it takes so much mental energy. It’s the mothering that is never talked about prior to having kids, instead it’s the “Oh you wait and see” approach!

Mothering is different for everyone but this picture just about sums up my mothering right now – cleaning tennis ball fuzz out of my daughter’s eye after taking a ball to the eye socket during her tennis tournament. Nursing her eye and then switching to the encouraging mom to help her remain mentally strong as she carried on through the tournament.

There is rarely a dull moment mothering!