So… 3 kiddos is kicking my bootie! I knew it would be a whole different game.

Can we just talk about being a momma for a minute though. I mean, there are so many ways to being a momma. I say do YOU and figure out how the heck to be the best momma you can be. Whatever works for you and your family is “right.” We are in a time where grooming kids has all different types of strategies….or should I say ways of getting through your day! However, what I do know is most of us want to be an awesome mom and are on the guilty bus often…..

Let’s talk about different types of ways we show up as a mom.

I call them 4 different types of Mama Bears!

1. The Growling/yelling Mama Bear: This is the Mama who knows she shouldn’t be yelling but it so tired of “trying” because it’s exhausting!! Sometimes your feelings just get in the way and you loose it! I mean really loose it! Then you go to bed with that shame of “Mama Bear Guilt” that makes you feel HORRIBLE! Even worse is you have the “skills” and strategies in your tool box and you just somehow don’t use them because you emotionally are out!
2. The Gentle Mama Bear: This Mama may be gentle but she goes to bed knowing she could be teaching her kids to be more independent, responsible and confident but goes above and beyond to do EVERYTHING for them so she is extremely overwhelmed and doesn’t know why. She just wants to sit down to breath. She can’t imagine her kids doing anything for themself so she is super MOM and volunteers for everything too because she doesn’t want her kids to miss out. #overwhelmedbear
3. The Lost Mama Bear: This Mama is so in over her head with life she literally can’t see straight. It gets so hard that she hands a frozen peanut and butter jelly sandwich often because she can barely stay afloat. Her butt is getting kicked from life in lots of different directions. She knows she need to learn new skills to help be the most fabulous mum she’s called to be but can’t even imagine finding the time to even learn, let alone have the patience to practice with her kids. She may not even be aware there are resources out there to help her win as mama!
4. The Tamed Mama Bear: She is super caring and loving. Kind of like the Berenstein Bears Mama. The one who is always teaching and guiding with grace and light! (she gets mad sometimes but keeps her calm) These Mama’s are super on the game of controlling their emotions and are on their “A” game of using tools in their toolbox or are learning the tools to win the “Mama Bear” game! In fact she even reads books and learns constantly to become her most fabulous mama… all in grace and balance. Yet she knows when she’s about to loose it and uses her strategies to keep the calm!

So we long to be the “Tamed Mama Bear” ….but which one are you REALLY? Right now.. each day is different for me.

For the past year mine has been #1 The Growling Mama Bear. Have you been there? I would literally say at bed time when processing my day…..

I KNOW better! I have skills and a toolbox …what the HECK is wrong with me.

Then, I realized “Oh I’m human with TONS of emotion.”

Being a momma is a CONSTANT personal development program. If you don’t grow in this area it’s hard to get ahead in winning in mom life department. Before I was married I read lots of books, listened to resources and went to seminars on being married! Why? Because I was determined to have a fabulous marriage and needed to prepare myself for my husband.

I am similar in the mom department. I read a lot of books and surround myself with people whose parenting style I admire and want to model so I can learn from them.

I am a work in progress but I will tell you…

What you focus on, you receive. Energy is a powerful thing and I see how my kids are affected if my energy is off. Focus on becoming that mama you are called to become. Better every day!

I want to share a few of my top resources that have made a HUGE impact in how I am a mom to my kids. Hope it helps you like it has me.

1. On Becoming Baby Wise Helped me understand that babies need a routine and pattern plus training my baby to sleep through the night and stop screaming all day. This training has worked for all 3 of my children.
2. Don’t Make Me Count to Three Teaching children to obey “all the way, right away, with a happy heart” Is how we teach obedience.
3. Positive Behavior Parenting: This is a virtual course that focuses on Positive Behavior Adlerian Psychology which is exactly my belief system. I bought it and as I went through it (only in 2 week because I was at THAT point) I kept saying Oh MY GOODNESS I know this stuff. In fact, I did tons of presentations on it in graduate school. I was the Growling Mama Bear though and I was so ready for a refresher! Amy does a phenomenal job teaching the basics of Adlerian Psych; natural consequence, the goals of misbehavior and strategies to work through them.
4. Love and Logic Teaches responsibility and natural consequences.
5. Grace Based Parenting
6. Grooming the Next Generation for Success
7. The Whole Brain Child Heavy on child psychological development
8. No Drama Discipline
9. Mentors! Find yourself a mentor! Someone you admire and see fruit of their parenting in their children. GOLDEN!!

I am so glad I learned about these and hope it helps you to become your most best YOU! Your best Mama YOU are called to be. Don’t ever stop learning and growing because it’s in the journey when you find your fabulous through it all. Whenever I find myself on the struggle bus in the mom area I go back to the resources to re-input it all into my brain or seek new ones. What you constantly input into you, comes out! Finding your fabulous takes a lot of fabulous input.

This little Mama Bear Hat was a gift. My mom found it and many of you have asked where it is from. She found this one at a boutique in AZ however I found some cute ones here.

Ever since my second baby, my hair keeps getting thinner and thinner so I just throw this hat on in a jiffy and look cute!

Feel free to hit that share button to a mama who needs this goodness.

Which type of “Mama Bear” are you?

Until Next Time,