After having my second daughter 13 months after having my first, there was a long stretch of time that I felt my life would never get easier.
I was disheartened and discouraged by the number of moms who told me it would never get easier.
I asked the question to so many moms I knew. Friends, colleagues, strangers, “Does it get easier?” Not a single mom said, “Yes.”
Well, I am here to tell you, it does. It DOES get easier.
My daughters are now 4 and 5 years old, and while still so young, I’ve already felt like a massive weight has been taken off my shoulders. I once read that age four is the magic number. The age when you start to see the light. That couldn’t have been more accurate in my house.
For those struggling to see the light, I’ve compiled a list of all the things that are easier as my kids have grown.
- My back! No more heavy lifting, carrying, bending down.
- I’m no longer nap trapped. We are free to go about our day however we please.
- The STUFF. Leaving my house used to feel like going on a daily vacation. The bags were endless, and I never had enough arms. Now we hop in and go without anything at all!
- My kids get their own snacks. (When your kids ask for a snack every hour, this new skill is HUGE).
- They get into the car by themselves and buckle up without help.
- Showers! Both my children, at age 4, suddenly decided they were no longer afraid of the shower. No more bending over the bathtub to fight the hair beasts while slipping and sliding over toys and spills. We all hop in the shower together and are done within five minutes.
- They reason! What used to be an epic meltdown over who got to pick their favorite banana first, what movie they wanted to watch, or who got the bigger cup is now a ten-second conversation explaining the reasoning, and what would you know? They get it. This, to me, is by far the biggest feat. Don’t get me wrong, the tantrums still ensue when tired and hungry, but they are few and far between.
- They use the bathroom by themselves and we are saving so much money without diapers and pull-ups.
- I get more than 10 seconds to complete a task before hearing “Mom!”
- I can leave them in the other room for long periods without worrying they may eat a Barbie shoe or color on the wall.
- They start to enjoy movies and TV shows that you enjoy sitting through too. Buh-bye Cocomelon!
- Meals are much less messy.
- They get dressed by themselves. They may be wearing only one rainbow sock with two different shoes, but hey, these are the battles not worth fighting.