14 Ways To Enjoy Motherhood More Deeply

Photo by Tatiana Syrikova

Mothers are busy creatures, absorbed with the care and nurturing of sweet little humans making their debut into the world. We strive to fulfill a definitive narrative of motherhood that includes the hardships and wonder of raising individuals who love the Lord and those around them, while making a full, beautiful life of celebration and great joy.

We know this to be true, but how do we practically fill the days? What is the purely pragmatic representation? How can we greatly relish our days as mothers while giving our children a nostalgic, beautiful childhood? The following are ways one can enrich and beautify days as a mother.

01 | Enjoy the great outdoors.

As much as possible, go outside! In some seasons this is quite hard to pull off, but do your very best to see the sun (or the clouds)! Children love the outdoors. They are easily entertained with chalk, a tiny slide, putting rocks in a bucket, eating pine cones, trying to chase animals, and on and on. 

02 | Call a friend.

I highly recommend getting some wireless earphones in order to call a friend while moving about your daily tasks. While the majority of the time your focus is fixated on your children (and what they might be putting in their mouths this time), it can be helpful to call a friend and chat about all things motherhood, food, family, etc.

My babies may not even realize I am on the phone; they may think I am talking to them the whole time. In the meantime, I am enjoying fellowship, swapping stories of both hilarity and frustration, and getting some much-needed time with a friend (usually my mom, full disclosure).

03 | Play “school.”

I fully intend to homeschool, but at the tender ages of 2 and 1, my children only know that school is a time when they sit on a blanket and get my full attention, learn about the weather, read, sing songs, look at toys, color (on the blanket), and all sorts of miscellaneous and exciting things! My kids know what it means when I spread the blanket, and they could not be more excited if we were having a picnic on said blanket. Make it a habit and your children will view school as the best part of their day.

04 | Get ready.

I’m learning this one and will continue to put it into practice! Put on a comfortable dress, wear some color on your lips, slick your hair into a pretty ponytail… the effort is not wasted!

05 | Do kitchen time.

My children love the kitchen. They love to get up on a chair or the counter and pull things out of drawers, help me stir, lick the spoons, explore the sugar bowl, taste test… it makes slightly more of a mess (sometimes a significant addition), but it is time I am able to spend homemaking, teaching, and spending quality time while keeping them occupied. 

06 | Cook good food & bake often.

Experiment with recipes that are a little more glamorous while still being time-efficient. Look up fun recipes that make your day a little brighter. This week I made a savory galette for dinner (which my husband continued to reference as “pizza,” but I digress).

It was easier than expected and had a new flavor profile none of us had experienced! You are a mother, but you are also a human. You can continue to enjoy the goodness and excitement of new things, even if they are as simple as a new recipe.

07 | Enjoy the chores.

If you are going to spend a hefty portion of your day wiping coconut water off the floor, sweeping up flung food fragments, and wiping jammy faces, you might as well relish the effort and satisfaction. Remind yourself of how much you enjoy washing dishes — really. Your attitude will follow. 

08 | Elevate the chore experience.

Pair them with something entertaining. Put on an encouraging podcast or listen to a book you’ve been wanting to read. For a while, my husband was working evenings, which meant dinner, bath, and bedtime responsibilities rested upon me.

One of my most favorite things was listening to Aggressively Happy by Joy Clarkson. I was quite sad when it was over; it kept me company through many pre- and post-dinner preparations and clean-ups. Listen to podcasts and books that stimulate your mind and encourage your heart.

09 | Put the phone away.

Sometimes I find myself absolutely drowning in a virtual world I am not even that interested in, but that somehow pulls me in and away from my family. I waste precious time I cannot get back. I beseech you, mamas… put the phone away when you know you need to. You will enjoy your motherhood so much more.

10 | Set the mood.

Light candles, turn on classical music, use the pretty placemats, arrange flowers, open the blinds, hang pictures — in short, make your home a place you love and your children love. They (and you) will remember the little details.

11 | Have traditions.

Play the same podcast during bath time. Have a dinner bell you ring before every dinner. Read the Bible and pray together every night. Have a signature snack or meal for certain days of the week. Perfect your favorite hot or iced beverage (I love Earl Grey tea with milk and sugar). Get creative and think of little things you can look forward to every day. 

12 | Worship together.

Turn on some worship and sing and praise and dance with your kids — they love it!

13 | Read out loud.

I will be the first to admit that English period pieces have their own compartment in my brain and I am unashamedly reading Emma by Jane Austen out loud to my babies. They do not care one bit about it, but they are listening to beautiful literature as they crawl and walk in and out of the room doing their own little baby things. It is greatly enjoyable and I like to think it is helping them too!

14 | Cultivate your attitude.

It is entirely too easy to wait until your children lay down for a nap or go to bed to have your favorite part of the day. While there is a well-deserved sigh of relief and a sinking into the couch that will indubitably accompany bedtime, shift your focus towards having the best parts of your days while the kids are awake.

While you are all together, cuddling, singing, drawing, reading the same board book ten thousand times, and making the same animal sounds until your throat can take no more… make those the moments you look forward to the most. Train your mind to love all of the messy and hard and wonderful moments of motherhood, and you may just find beauty in all of it.