It’s Better to be a Better Mom than a Fun Mom

I remember a day not long ago when I was trying to be an extra fun mom. It was the middle of a rainy season (well, a California version of rainy season), but there were a couple of sunny days in a row. So instead of just grinding away at life like usual, I cancelled all afternoon work and took my kids to the beach.

My girls had a great time…and it was okay for me. The beach experience itself was pleasant enough, but by the end of the day, I was able to clearly see that being a “fun mom” isn’t everything. Because while we had some sweet moments, I became not-so-sweet by the end of the day. I forget what my deal was, but it came down to the fact that I was trying to squeeze in too much. Essentially there was a trade-off — I traded being a godly mom for being a fun mom, and that just wasn’t worth it. 

The Trade-Off 

Have you ever had that type of experience where you intended to do something good for your kids, but you realized it probably wasn’t the best choice? I think especially when it comes to having fun — we feel so much pressure as moms to be full of great activities, special experiences, and creative outings; but we have to wonder whether it’s worth it if we find ourselves rushed, impatient, or snappy at the end of it all.

I’m not saying there’s not a time to drop our work and play, of course there is! But I am saying we should know our limits. I’m not saying we shouldn’t do fun things. But I am saying, we sometimes try and keep up with what everyone else is doing, and we can overdo it. And I am definitely not saying we can blame our lack of godliness on a busy day. But I am saying, we should know what’s “too much” given family dynamics, the season of life we’re in, our necessary responsibilities, and our unique personality. 

And then, with all that considered, we should choose our activities wisely. 

The point is: It’s far better for our kids to have an average day with a sweet-mannered, patient mom than to have a less godly version of mom who takes them to fun places. We don’t want to prioritize all the things our culture says to prioritize at the cost of being stretched too thin.

The Bigger Picture 

Sometimes we just have to think through what we’re teaching our kids by our example.  In the long run, our kids will remember and be impacted by who we were much more than where we took them. Even in the short run, yes our kids want to go have a good ol’ time, but I bet they’d rather have a mom who isn’t stressed and doesn’t snap at them. They’d rather have a mom that has time to sit and listen to them, and a mom who is calm and kind. They don’t want a mom stretched too thin.

Yes, the world may tell you you’re boring, but remember your God-given job has nothing to do with providing fun. Our job is to point our kids in the direction they should go (Proverbs 22:6). And we do that each and every day, especially by our example. Therefore, it would be wise if we evaluated our schedules and activities — not just according to what things would be fun for our kids to do, but by what we can handle and do well.

All that to say, while you can (and should) be fun (at times), most of us are tempted to break off more than we can chew…and I want to encourage you, don’t get pressured into doing more than makes sense to do! Don’t spread yourself too thin in the name of fun. You can be an awesome mom just by loving your kids and being a good godly example.

So, let’s have plenty of fun with our kids, but let’s always remember: It is far better to be a better (more godly mom) than a mom with fun up her sleeve.