Jessica @ Life as Mom touched a spot I’m sure we can all feel…
“…every mom has heard the whining refrain, “I’m bored.” And yet, as a mom, a few months ago, I found myself thinking the same thing.
Yet, how could I be bored when there’s so much to do? Upon further discussion with my sweet husband, we determined that it wasn’t boredom that plagued me….
Motherhood is a challenging profession….
Let’s face it. Unless you’ve got a nanny, a housekeeper, a chauffeur, and a chef, it’s hard to manage a home and family–and still keep a smile on your face. It’s hard to tackle the tasks involved. And sometimes those peripheral tasks can weigh us down.
It’s hard work, plain and simple. And sometimes, to use a Jane Austen phrase, I need to exert myself. I need to make the conscious decision to do what’s best for my family even if it’s uncomfortable….”
Read the rest of “Loving Motherhood in an “I’m Bored Society“
13 comments
Dr. Laura calls that “Getting your Grit on” I wish i had the motivation to do my job as a mother and wife 24/7/365, but sometimes I have zero motivation, so then I must use some grit and get it done all while praying that God restore my motivation.
when boredom strikes me, I try to find something new to read that challenges me, my latest boredom period led me to your website Kelly 🙂 I read through your posts every morning and it has been so interesting to read your thoughts on having as many children as God wants, and how society views children as a burden and not a blessing. This is something new and exciting to me, and i have had so many interesting and deep conversations with my husband about how we need to change some things to be in alignment with God’s word. Thank you Kelly for speaking out even when it’s not a popular stand to take. And I also thank God for continually challenging me in every area of my life and for putting Godly women in my life who will help me grow.
Natasha,
Wow…that is very motivating to ME! 😉 Thank you.
That is exactly how I feel although I haven’t called it boredom. When I don’t have some project to focus on, even if that project is homeschooling for the day, I feel unmotivated. That’s why I don’t enjoy taking school breaks when I don’t have something else to focus on. Staying in my pj’s all day and “taking the day off” is very unmotivating. I will feel depressed and not know why. But it’s also why I create a checklist every day and try to keep it simple. If I get only 4 things done, but I only had 4 things on my list; the day has been a success! 😀
Funny side note: as a mom of 7, my children absolutely never say they’re bored. Have you experienced the same?
I have one, and she has learned to never say she is bored. In this country, we are so blessed to have down time not scrounging for food or fresh water so I HATE that statement. If she ever said it, I’d have her dusting baseboards or cleaning light switches…stuff that needs cleaning, but rarely gets done. Sadly, she is a fast learner and those aforementioned things are not a clean as they could be! 😉
Much to my dislike, I do have a child say that from time to time, though not very often. But like Kelly said, a cheerful, “Oh, in that case, I have something for you to do!” will cure it faster than anything 😉
Excellent post! There is always something to fix or somewhere to go. I cannot get “bored”, but have certainly been unmotivated. I am really re-training myself to remember “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord.” I am not there yet, as I can still look at a sink of dishes and try to ignore it. (It doesn’t help that my husband likes doing dishes, claiming I have more important things to do during my day. Yes, I like him a little!)
Thanks for sharing this post, I never had the word “unmotivated” to describe what I was feeling sometimes, and YIKES! it was a convicting word!
“I never had the word “unmotivated” to describe what I was feeling sometimes, and YIKES! it was a convicting word!”
I had the SAME feeling!
This isn’t really related to this post (although I love the post and I love Jessica’s blog!) but I read this article this morning and thought of you. It really resonated with me and it’s a subject I know you’re passionate about as well. Not only as it pertains to young men, but women as well. Anyway, if you get a chance to read it, it’s really good!
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/features/22807-mark-driscoll-wants-you-to-grow-up
Have a blessed day!
Yeah, my kids have learned that “I’m bored” = Mom saying, “Well, then start picking up….”. I haven’t heard “I’m bored” in a while. However…. I can relate to myself being bored. And like has been said, it’s not because I have nothing to do. It’s an attitude thing, to be sure, but… sometimes I do get a little discouraged because my freshly mopped floor is dirty again, almost before I get the mop put away (which is why now I do it at night, so I can enjoy it a few hours before the mob gets up).
Wow, what a great post. Just the other day I was thinking I was bored, even though there was laundry to do, dishes in the sink, and floors that always need washing. I think what it is is just being tired of doing the same thing over and over and over. I cured it by telling the kids we were taking a break and going for a nice long walk. It was refreshing and I was ready to tackle the long list of everyday things I needed to do.
As for my kids, I only heard “I’m bored” once. It was after their cousins came for a visit and they heard their cousins say it (they are used to video games and tv, neither of which we have:) When my son said it I asked him if he knew what it meant. He said he didn’t so I explained it to him and he said “never mind, I’m not bored I have SO much to do!” He’s only five, but he has a swingset to defend from pirates, a lego tower under construction, and a gang of dinosaurs ready to attach the forest animals. He has no time to take off and be bored!
Thanks for sharing Kelly 🙂
Great to be able to put a word on that ‘feeling’… unmotivated, not bored! 🙂
When I was growing up as one of 6 kids I rarely felt bored thank goodness. In fact, ‘bored’ was seen as a swear word and we got in a lot of trouble if we said it! haha!!!
I agree that I don’t get bored, but I do have days when I feel unmotivated. I think it is most often when I have just been trying to do too much. At those times it really helps me to take a Sabbath of sorts. I tell the kids we are taking a break and I spend time in rest, prayer and bible study. Then I make a list of what needs done. The next day I am usually energized and excited to get to it.
If anything, sometimes the overwhelming feeling of lethargy is what floors me, and I just have two! That’s when a nice cup o’joe comes in handy ;D