Brave Mom at the Pool, You are an Inspiration.

Inside: Are you a brave mom? No Happy Accidents celebrates all moms braving it out at the pool this summer. We know your kids are hot, tired, upset, wanting snacks, fearless or utterly afraid in the water, and don’t want to go home.

Brave Mom, this one is for you.

I have been there. I was not a brave mom, like you though.

I have three of my own monkeys and let me just tell you that they are a handful to take swimming. My bigs are 11 and almost 10 and my little is only 6. When my kids were 6, 5, and 1… forget about it. I was not a brave mom, back then.

I barely went to the pool because I was a) ashamed of my body (for heaven’s sake I birthed 3 children in the span of five years, that should be celebrated, not shamed by society standards…but that is a different post for a different day) and b) I was outnumbered 3 to 1.

You better believe that I was only going to the pool if another friend was braving it with me or I dragged my husband along. Only then did I feel up for the challenge.

But that is where looking back, I was so wrong. I should have gone to the damn pool.

My kids always wanted to go, especially on these hotter than all heck days. And we could have. We didn’t have any kind of schedule or commitments like we do now.

Man, what I would give to rewind the clock and do summers all over again as a brave mom. But until that time machine is invented (and my son swears it is in the works) I will celebrate the brave mommas everywhere that are doing the hard job.

Putting on a bathing suit and taking their crabby kids to the pool on a hot, hot day.

Moms, you rock.

I mean, really.

Celebrating Brave Mommas Everywhere

Mom, I see you with your 18-month-old is passed out in your arms with your back is about to break just from holding him and trying to keep an eye on your 4-year-old that doesn’t want to leave. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you with your toddler fighting with you to put on her water wings and you almost giving into your temptation to just get out of the water and go home. But instead, you patiently calm her down and she puts them on. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you with a beautiful scarf on your head and your pale and waif-like frame. I see you almost too weak to stand, but strong enough to wade in the water and soak up the sun and smiles from your 4 kids that need you this summer and every summer after that. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you with your two kids throwing a tantrum and you shaking your head. And without raising your voice you motion towards the doors with your eyes and they quickly settle down. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you with your round belly and a suit that must feel snug but will last until your new addition arrives just so you can enjoy these last newborn-free days with the soon-to-be big sister. I know you are hot and most likely tired. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you with your own kids and a few more from the neighborhood. I know you must be helping out a friend who so desperately needs time to work, run errands, or just needs time to herself. We all need friends like you. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you afraid to watch your son go off the diving board. You have no control over the outcome, but the relief on your face when he surfaces to the top assures you that he can do it. Take a deep breath. I see you. I celebrate you.

Mom, I see you with the scars of motherhood on your belly that you are working so hard to flatten. You look amazing and are a wonderful role model of strength and love for your children. The size of your body doesn’t matter, but the size of your heart sure does. I see you. I celebrate you.

And Mom, I see you with the every bit of twinkle left in your eyes and laugh lines on your tanned face as you smile at the youngsters and mothers all around you. Mom, your kids may be grown, but the joy you felt when you were brave to go to the pool with them is alive and well in these mommas. I see you. I celebrate you.

To all Moms, everywhere. I see you so tired and wanting to go home. I see you wishing you could look like “her” even when you are the “her” to another mom. I see you comfortable in your own skin. I see you. I celebrate you.

I see you enjoying 5 or 10 minutes of quiet bliss while you read your book as your big kids safely swim a few feet away. I see you laughing. I see you wishing that the sun could shimmer just a little longer so you could feel the heat again before getting splashed. I see you lovin’ on your kids.

I see you.

I celebrate you.

I validate you.

I honor you.

You are a brave mom.

A Different Point of View

But moms, I challenge you. What do you see?

I bet you see smiles, laughter, and joy. I bet you see memories getting made and new friendships forming. I bet you see rolling eyes and frowns when it’s time to go home, too. I bet you can’t bear the thought of coming back tomorrow, but you will anyway.

You will, because you are a brave mom.

You might even splurge on the way out and buy that dumb ice-cream truck bar that costs the same as a whole box at the grocery store. And if your kids are anything like mine, they won’t even like it and half of it will end up on the front of their bathing suit.

So, as you enter futher into summer be BRAVE. Be STRONG in MIND and in SPIRIT. These days are long and the sun won’t always shine, but the memories of your kids smiling faces will…whether you fit into your dream suit or not. Don’t let the FEAR of not being enough keep you from experiencing the choice of LOVE. Go to the pool today because you LOVE your kids. And that is stronger than staying home because you are AFRAID to put on the suit or be outnumbered like I felt.

Moms, let’s celebrate each other. All the big and seemingly mundane moments. Let’s pick each other up and make sure that we give a little head nod to the moms in our communities. A little “thatta mom” and smile will do.

Going to the pool may seem like it’s not a big deal, but I promise you it is to somebody looking up at you. And someday, you’ll even get to, dare I say it, relax while you are there!

There are no happy accidents.

You can check out my other writings on Full Time Mom, 30Seconds, and SheSavvy. You can also follow me on Twitter at @barefoot79 or @nohappyaccident.