Self-esteem and motherhood

Sometimes I think being a mom isn’t so good for my self-esteem as my oldest daughter seems to have a knack for pointing out all the things that are wrong with me. And she’s only three!

Most morning she crawls into our bed bright and early for a morning cuddle. Yes, it sounds sweet, but after a few seconds of snuggling she usually looks at me and says, “Mommy, your breath is stinky! Go brush your teeth.” If I don’t immediately take care of my stinky breath, she starts to cover her nose and cry. It’s such a pleasant way to wake up in the morning.

The other day, after I had taken a shower, I was getting dressed and discovered Devin sitting on my bed. Since it was over an hour past her bedtime I was only mildly shocked to see her there.

“Mommy, I like your big bum,” she said with a smile.

“Thanks, Devin,” I muttered as I pulled a pair of pants up over my immense butt.

“Yeah, it’s really, really big!” she said. “I like it!”

Great, stinky breath and a really, really big bum – I feel so beautiful and loved.