To the moms who know more than I do

To the moms who know more than I do, please do not keep your opinions or advice to yourself. I’ve learned so much from watching you mommy. I hope you don’t mind that I am grateful you had kids before me so that I can learn from you. (And I mean this to be to the friend/sister who knows me. Who knows when I need brutal, honest, hard truth or when I need the kid gloves on. I mean this for you and not the loud, intrusive know-it-all stranger in the grocery store line.)

Some things I’ve learned from you are smaller but helpful. How else would I have known little children’s birthday parties are made so much easier with mini cupcakes and ice cream sandwiches?!? No utensils or plates needed,  maybe just napkins. Or that even though Chic-Fil-A is downright freakin amazing, burger king is cheaper and the play area is WAY less stressful. Or that Black Friday is the perfect time to take the kiddos on a family outing, like a museum. You’ll have the place all to yourself while everyone else is shopping. That stuff is like valuable mama gold nuggets. Brilliant, truly.

Then there is the slightly bigger stuff, like being available to help me know how to handle high late night fevers or stomach bugs. Or you being there to watch my kids so I can run to the store for half an hour by myself before I crack and break from being sleep deprived and climbed on. Or just leading by example and not being upset if we have to cancel last minute plans we’ve been looking forward to because someone threw up or pooped on me on the way out the door.

Then there’s the big stuff. Like knowing what to say or even just shooting over the exact right resource link in moments of true self doubt, moments when I am questioning that what I am doing as a parent is the right thing. You have been there to not only listen but also really HEAR me when I need it. Never, ever offering judgment, just understanding. You share your experience and knowledge without being condescending.

To the moms who know more than I do, thank you.