Little Miss has a new favorite word: “Why?”
I feel like she’s started early with this question… she’s not even two! But if I ask her to do just about anything, or if I say we “need” to do something, the first thing out of her sweet little mouth is often “why?”
It’s not always easy to answer.
I try to answer as fully and as best I can, telling her that we clean up our toys because it feels nice to have a clean room. Or, I explain to her that we wash our hands because we don’t want to get sick. But those questions! They’re like a drill, a test in patience, and it’s kind of crazy how one little word like that can make you stop and think about why something is necessary or why it needs to be done. It gets down to the most basic of needs and reasons (or until I inevitably say, “because I said so.”)
As Little Miss tends to do, her daily actions — including her interrogations — make me think. In this case, it makes me think of my own answer to why, about why I do what I do, why I act the way I act, and the list goes on and on.
My ‘why,’ as it probably comes as no surprise has a lot to do with her…. but it also has to do with me. As I’ve grown as a mom, I’ve learned something important: I’m my best self when I take care of myself, too. It’s easy to get wrapped up in making sure she’s taken care of, that the laundry is done, that the toys are picked up, that our schedule is ‘comfortably full’ for the week… it can be easy to forget about myself.
But that can quickly wear on us as moms… the non-stop taking care of others and failing to take care of ourselves.
That’s why I make a point of doing something for myself every once in awhile, even if its just to sit down during nap time and enjoy a few moments to savor my cup of coffee, or to take a few minutes in the morning to put on some mascara. Those few minutes can have an astounding impact on my day; it can be the difference between keeping my patience — and that includes answering all of her questions — and having a short temper. Those minutes matter.
It’s because of that realization that part of my why is also about helping women carve out a space of their own, particularly through writing… because I know how much I needed that for myself after I became a mom.
As for Little Miss, it takes a few answers but inevitably, my answers to her ‘why’ are deemed acceptable. She’ll turn her head to the side and nod like I make perfect sense. Thank you, sweet girl.
Thank you for being you, and thank you for encouraging me to find my personal answer to ‘why?’… even though all you wanted to know was why you need to put on your socks.
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