I went to an event last week that featured an incredible, business savvy mama, who is not only building her brand in her very own unique way… she’s a super-mom to boot…
… well, not so super at EVERYTHING… as she would soon confess!
When it comes to play time with her son, she admitted that “blocks and truck time” on the floor… is, well… a complete BORE.
The room fell silent for a moment.
… and then you could see the smiles spread across the faces of some of the other moms in the room, in total appreciation of her candor .
Because we do not have to love EVERYTHING about being a mom, do we?
Do we??? (mom-guilt sets in as I type this!!!)
As with any relationship… including the ones we have with our children… we bring a set of skills and strengths to the table that gets us either super excited about a situation, or makes us want to hand off the task to our partner in crime.
In the case above (with the mompreneur)… play time on the floor is not her jam (and honestly not mine either). We totally bonded about how we tend to get antsy, our minds wander off to places we could be adventuring to, and oddly enough, how we run into creative road blocks (pun intended) when it comes to “make believe”.
My husband, on the other hand, is FANTASTIC at imaginative play. He loves it! He builds towers of legos, castles with blocks, and monster jam obstacle courses with cars and trucks… and the kids are in heaven!
I’m sometimes envious of his skills…
… until I take note of mine.
On our Thanksgiving trip to Palm Springs (where my own parents live), I had a free day with just myself and the kiddos… and I couldn’t WAIT to get out and drive!
There are so many amazing places to visit in the desert (I’m thinking of doing a Palm Springs family guide if everyone is interested)!
That day, I decided on Salvation Mountain, about an hour and twenty minutes East… past the Salton Sea…
I’d seen photos posted before on social media, and it looked like just the sort of magical place the kiddos could get lost in.
And it WAS magical. Even the drive was interesting, as we talked about the desert, the wide open spaces, the desolate feel of the abandoned Salton Sea, and how mirages appeared and then disappeared on the road ahead of us…
Once we arrived, we climbed colored hillsides, followed the “yellow brick road”, and got lost in candy coated caves…
Parker sat in a hidden cove and drew in his notebook…
…while Avery made friends with two sisters from Japan who happened to be wearing the same shoes as her…
As we drove home… I earned a new nickname…
Adventure Mom!
… and I smiled the BIGGEST smile (photo by Parker, crazy face by me, chokehold by Avery)…
Because with my husband’s imagination…
…combined with my drive to hit the road…
I realized we can take Parker and Avery anywhere in the world… at any given moment…
with a different set of tools… but one heart (and my mom-guilt faded away).
