9 Reasons Mums Should Get Gold Stars For
My toddler poop in the toilet.
Not in his pants. Not in his pants. Not on the floor next to it. The actual toilet bowl. For this modern miracle, he was awarded three gold stars in his sticker chart. He was bursting with pride. I was, too.
It made me wonder: Why do only our children get gold stars for any vaguely functional things they can accomplish?
It’s wonderful to see children learning new skills. The real MVPs in the house (hello, mums!) are the ones who run the show. They are the ones who run this household day after day, year after year, without a single glittery sticker.
Today, we are flipping the script. Mama, this one’s for YOU. Here are nine things that mums do each day, which deserve a sticker chart, heartfelt appreciation, and possibly a national holiday. Let’s be real and give credit to those who deserve it.
1. Pack the Daycare Bags The Night Before
Take a bow if you are a mother who packed the school or daycare bags the night before.
This means that you have the organization and foresight to prepare extra clothes, nappies, wipes, and snacks. You can also pack drink bottles, a sleep toy, sun hats, and other items they may need.
The next day, what will you get? Relative calm. It took you only three yells to get the kids to put their undies on while chasing two children with toothbrushes and a stray sock. You didn’t forget to bring sunscreen, or the fact that “wear yellow on sunshine day” was the kindy dress code. What’s the gold star? Try three.
2. Get Out of the House!
It’s not uncommon to feel like a miracle just to leave the house, especially in those first weeks and months after giving birth.
You and your child are dressed, even if it’s in yoga pants and stained t-shirts. The nappy bags are packed. Huge gold star.
You can do it, especially if your brain is running on caffeine and stubbornness and you have only four hours of sleep.
The mums who,o despite feeling emotionally drained, physically so, or mentally under water, still managed to get to the park or pharmacy. This is not small. That’s a strength.
3. You May Have Had Both Toilet Paper and Tissue in Your House
When you reach that point of pride, you know you are officially an adult.
This means that you have done your weekly shopping (or placed at least a Click &Collect order by 11 pm), and you can run your home like a well-oiled machine.
No need to steal toilet paper from the craft supplies of your children. Nobody is blowing their nose in baby wipes or on paper towels. Life is good. You’ve got at least one sticker, and possibly more if you bought the quilted 3-ply version that is “the softest ever”.
4. Before Work, Switch on the Slow Cooker
It’s so easy… but so effective!
It’s incredibly satisfying to come home and smell a delicious meal that has been slowly cooked. You deserve a pat on the back if you have the energy and motivation to plan dinner, purchase all ingredients, chop up the vegetables, and then dump them into the slow cooker before dropping off your kids at daycare or work.
Let’s face it: we are lucky if we remember to brush our teeth in the morning, never mind preparing a beef or lentil casserole.
My friend, you are living the dream. Your house smells like heaven. You’ve got a gold star on your forehead.
5. Fold and Place the Laundry
Laundry can be a tricky little beast.
When you load it, you think you’ve defeated it. Then it appears in different states of undress all over the house. Wet in the machine. The basket is still dry, but the clothes are in it. Folded, but not sorted. Sitting in piles at 9 p.m. on the couch, or worse, your bed.
If you were able to not only wash your clothes, but also fold and–miracles of miracles!– then put them away. You’ve achieved something that many people only dream about.
You won’t have to dig through piles of clean clothes in search of one tiny sock or bra. You’ve found a home for everything and perhaps even matched up a few pairs. This one is enough to earn you a lifetime of gold stickers.
6. Didn’t Lose Your Sh*t Over Car Seat Battles
It’s hard to imagine anything more aggravating than trying to fit a toddler who is wriggling into a seat in a car when you are already late. It’s like trying a strap a screaming octopus in a straitjacket with witnesses.
Give yourself a big hug if you were able to buckle up your child without screaming, crying, or threatening the cancellation of the day. That’s top-tier parenting.
It still counts, even if I gave them snacks or screen time. Some mornings, it’s about survival and not style.
7. Leave the House with Kids in Matching Socks
We’d love to shake the hand of the mother who does this consistently. Ask if she’s got a personal sock designer.
If your child wears matching socks when they leave home, you have probably achieved:
- Full laundry cycle
- Dress them in adequate lighting
- A cooperative toddler (ha!)A little magic may be involved.
It is important not to underestimate this. Some of us will be happy just to see our children wearing socks. Matching? It’s another level.
You are a goal, my dear mam, who matches socks. Your laundry baskets will be full and your gold star awards plentiful.
8. Play with Your Kids
This is a huge one.
It may not sound like much – you might have rolled the ball back and forth, built an awkward block tower, or run a pretend café out of the kitchen – but choosing in the middle of life’s chaos to engage with your children is a huge deal.
You put aside your mental to-do lists. You tuned in to their world. You played even though the dishes were dirty or the emails were piling up.
You made a lasting memory, even if you only had 10 minutes. Even if the 10 minutes were just for 10 minutes. In that moment, your child felt valued. This is pure parenting gold.
9. I Had a Gosh-Darned Rainfall
Let’s face it: sometimes, a simple shower can feel like a luxurious spa retreat.
If you have little ones depending on you all the time, it’s hard to find time to take a shower, wash your hands, or even shave your legs. ), feels borderline revolutionary.
You did more than just wash off the dirt. You reclaimed part of yourself. It’s a big deal.
You can go ahead and add two gold stars to your sticker chart. Draw hearts around them or even a glittery crown. You are a self-care superstar.
Conclusion
Pour yourself a glass of wine, queen. Guess what?
You deserve to receive the entire sheet if today you didn’t pack your bags, your car trip was a disaster, and the kids were wearing mismatched socks or leftover Halloween costumes.
Still showing up. You’re still loving. Still loving. That’s enough.
It may feel as if you have dropped the ball. You might feel like you dropped the ball. You’re still the number one parent in your child’s eyes, despite tantrums and meltdowns at the frozen food aisle, cereal dinner, or meltdowns.
Stop comparing yourself to others and celebrate your little victories. Why? These things are not at all small. They are the backbone of a family.
Whether or not you see anyone handing out golden stars, this is what you need to know:
You deserve all of them.
