I’ll Try Again Tomorrow

Just about every night when I’m saying my prayers and reflecting over my day, I say to myself “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

What is it that I’m trying for?

It’s to be a better mother.

Being a mom is undoubtedly the hardest job, am I right?

The long hours, the constant go, and the always trying to be the best mom for your kids. Every night, I recap my day and wonder if I did the right thing. Did we review my 1st graders homework enough? Ack, did we remember to floss the 3 year olds teeth? Will my kids ever want more than chicken nuggets and mac and cheese?

I’m far from the calm and collective Mrs. Duggar and have lost my cool on more than one car ride home from school (honestly, why must my boys fight and scream daily during traffic?) and patience is what I wish I had more of. I’m envious of the moms I see who just shrug if off when their threenager is having a colossal meltdown in Target. Can I have some of that mom’s “I don’t give a sh*t” attitude? While I’m over here wishin’ and hopin’ that my boys don’t get us thrown out of Target because their mom started joined in on their mega meltdown.

But tomorrow, I’ll try to have more patience. I’ll try again tomorrow. I'll Try Again Tomorrow.

Homework. The dreaded time between carpool and dinner. Yes, you have to do your homework. Yes, we have to review your words. No, you may not go outside right now. Please sit down and finish your worksheet. Oy. Again, I need more patience. I’ll try again tomorrow.

Dinner time. Picky eater club party of 2, please! One boy won’t even try the simplest of veggies like sweet potatoes, and the other can’t have any sauce, dip or visible herb on his food. Yeah, dinner is a blast in our house. Some days I take the easy way out, and my husband just grills up some chicken while I make them mac & cheese. I’ll try veggies later. I’ll try again tomorrow.

Bed time. While one of my boys has always been a fantastic sleeper, I have one who is not as easy. He will go to bed just fine, but past midnight, I have a little one calling for me next to my bed. “Up Momma, I want to cuddle!” What’s a mom to do? So I reach over and pick him up with plans to put him back in his bed after a few minutes. However, more likely than not, he remains with my husband and I in bed. For those that can get a good night’s sleep while co-sleeping, kuddos! Sadly, my husband I are not a part of that elite group and have less than a desirable amount of solid sleep while our little man is snoozing away. While I hear my husband bicker about the many times he was kicked and elbowed all night, I just keep on thinking, well tomorrow I’ll just put him in his own bed. I’ll try again tomorrow.

While I know that I will never be the perfect mom whose house is spic and span, who sends their kids to school with freshly ironed uniforms and perfectly Pinterest worthy bento lunches … I do know that I have another day to try to again and strive to be better. It’s like with any other job, you are always trying to advance and be better than yesterday.

There is always another opportunity to try again tomorrow.

Mary Olivio
Mary is a caffeine addicted boy mom to Noah, Liam and Luke. This “stay at home” mom can typically been found cruising in her minivan, jamming to Beyonce with a Starbucks in hand on her way to carpool or after school activities. Mary has been married to her high school sweetheart since 2007. She is a founder of Delivering Hope NOLA and the Vanessa Wolff Scholarship Fund at her Alma Mater. Mary is passionate in the local preemie community and has been heavily involved with the March of Dimes since her sons Liam and Luke were born premature.

1 COMMENT

  1. Excellent post Mary! That is my mantra every night to myself and God. One day; one day, I will rise up and knock my own socks off, but for now, I’m with the other blogger on being an Okay Mom and using tomorrow to try again!

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