Staying focused as a mother: How well have my children done?

{Flash back picture ~ Liahona and I}

I have a lot of distractions in my life that draw my mind away from my important role of being a mother. As much as I love being a mother, I often find myself wanting to be involved in many other things. These distractions often give me an immediate response or feeling of satisfaction and fulfilment compared to the often slow paced growth and benefits that can come from being a mother.

Now that I have been in my mothering role for over 10 years I can reflect back upon just how far we have come as a family and how much I have been able to achieve as a mother. I keep in mind a question that I first heard at church in a conference talk:

"You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. 

The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be:

How well have my children done?"

This helps me to stay focused and to appreciate what we have achieved. I have not set out to raise children who are super talented and will be famous. I have set out to raise children who love life, are happy in their hearts and know who they are.

As a look at my older cherubs today I can be thankful that they know how to get themselves dressed, do basic chores, use manners, be kind to others, appreciate music and literature, know that they are loved and know what happiness looks like.

Too often as mothers I believe we place unnecessary pressure on ourselves to do it all. We simply cannot do it all and be a wonderful mother at the same time. Our children are too precious, they need us and we need to be prepared to take a stand to reject those distractions that will pull our minds and hearts away from our little people who need us the most.

Now thank YOU for being distracted by my blog and reading this post - now back to being focused.