Striving for Perfection in the World of a Working Mom

If you're a Mom and you work full-time, I'm sure you can relate.

My morning generally goes as follows:  Alarm goes off at 6:00 am, I get up, head downstairs to let the dogs out and feed them and the two cats.  I then proceed to the basement to work out for an hour (which I need for my sanity), I come back up by 7:30 am when I'm usually greeted by my 7-year-old daughter who is usually starving for breakfast.  I get breakfast ready, proceed to make lunches for the school day.  Then I make my way up to wake my 10-year-old son.  I give them any help they need with getting dressed, hair, etc.  I make sure they brush their teeth, grab a cup of coffee for myself and run them to the bus stop for 8:50.  As soon as I get back, I get ready and get myself to work.

Only, this morning my daughter was a little nervous to get in the car with me while it was parked in the garage.  She said, "Mommy, I'm never getting in the car with you again while you're backing out of the garage."  Rewind to yesterday morning.  In the process of my morning routine, my daughter was "running late."  It was more like procrastinating, but running late nonetheless.  My son was already on his way to the bus stop. I was yelling up the stairs, "C'MON, HURRY UP, LET'S GO!"  My daughter finally meandered down the steps and she and I got in the car.  It was 8:51  as we were rushing to get the bus that always comes at 8:50.  I backed out of my garage, almost flooring the car in reverse because I knew we were missing the bus.  But, in my rush, I forgot to look at either side of the car and smashed the passenger side mirror to bits.  It made a loud crashing noise, I may have used a "not-so-appropriate" word of disgust, my daughter screamed in fear of the horrible sound of crushing metal and glass and, of course,  I continued on and drove down the street with the mirror dangling from my car.  I explained to her that it's ok, these things happen sometimes when we're in a rush and it's just a car.  I kissed her tears away, hugged my son and sent them both on the bus.  Looking back on it, of course, I was beating myself up all day because I kept replaying the scene in my head and I felt terrible that they were going off to school when they were starting their day with "chaos."

Fast forward to this morning, my son comes downstairs and says, "Mommy, I didn't get my hug yet this morning."  He opens his arms and gives me the best hug ever.  Ten minutes before bus time, my little one is all dressed, teeth brushed, shoes on and her jacket is on and zipped with her backpack on her back ready to go.  Of course, I asked her where she was going since we still had plenty of time.  She replied, "I'm ready for the bus.  I don't want you to be in a rush Mommy." 

Between the hug from my son and the awareness in her comment,  I had tears in my eyes.  It's so hard being a parent sometimes because we strive for perfection and we want to do and be the best we can for our children at all times. We always want to set the best example we can.  We carry so much guilt when things don't go exactly as planned.  But, the bottom line is this...I'm raising children who are compassionate, caring, empathetic individuals who truly live to "do unto others."  It's o.k. for them to see that I'm not perfect, I'm just human.