There was a time when patience was my strong suit. Seriously. I could stand in a long line at my favorite coffee shop without breaking a sweat, and slow drivers on the road didn’t ruffle my feathers. I was never bothered by my partner’s lengthy anecdotes, and the sight of his clothes strewn about the house barely made me blink. Yes, I even watched commercials without hitting the fast-forward button!
Ah, those were the blissful days when I didn’t wear a constant “WTF?” expression. Back then, I could endure long waits at the DMV without my blood pressure skyrocketing, and the chaos of a messy laundry room or a cluttered kitchen didn’t faze me.
Excuse me for a moment.
CAN YOU PLEASE HURRY UP? BALLET STARTS IN 10 MINUTES!
Where was I? Oh right, patience. More accurately, my dwindling supply of it.
Since becoming a mother, my ability to remain calm has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self. As the saying goes, I’m on my last nerve, and it feels like everyone around me is stepping on it 24/7. The emotional and physical demands of motherhood have drained away every ounce of my previously saintly patience.
Even on a good day, my patience teeters between “I might blow up at any moment, so DMV worker, get moving” and “FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING, GET OFF THAT VIDEO GAME AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK!”
Oh, what was I saying? Right, patience. That elusive virtue.
You wouldn’t believe the time I lost my cool in front of my neighbors, wearing a bathrobe and slippers, because my son missed the bus. Or the time I lost it on Thanksgiving morning when our turkey was still frozen, and we had a house full of guests arriving soon.
Ask me about the countless times I’ve tried to fold laundry or pay bills, only to be interrupted by a dog who decided to roll in something foul or kids who thought wrestling in the hallway was a great idea. “YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU NEEDED YOUR GYM UNIFORM CLEANED!”
Moms simply don’t have the luxury of time. We’re on a tight schedule, and every task takes an eternity because kids somehow manage to turn simple tasks into epic challenges.
Even if we try to account for unexpected toddler meltdowns or last-minute projects that pop up at 10 p.m., we’re still left scrambling.
“OF COURSE THE WASHING MACHINE BREAKS NOW, WITH SEVEN LOADS OF LAUNDRY PILING UP!”
Because it’s always something. Someone is always sick, throwing a tantrum in the store, or creating embarrassing moments during conference calls when all we want is a few minutes of sanity. It seems that every day is filled with chaos that strips away our patience and our ability to enjoy nice things.
We’ve earned this impatience, folks.
“The washing machine repair guy will arrive between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.? Fantastic.”
Mothers have every right to feel exasperated when a fellow parent inundates the class email with unnecessary replies. Sifting through endless emails just to find out how many juice boxes to send can really test one’s patience. And I won’t even pretend to hide my frustration when someone in front of me at the store deliberates endlessly over return policies. Seriously, no one cares about your coupons, so hurry up!
Am I proud of my impatience? Not really. Should I strive for a more Zen-like demeanor amidst the chaos? Probably. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mother, it’s that patience isn’t included in the package.
Kids complicate everything. Nothing is straightforward; everything takes longer, and moms are perpetually left feeling short on patience.
If you need me, I’ll be here, anxiously waiting for the washing machine repair technician.
I GIVE UP.
For more insights into navigating parenthood, check out our post on boosting fertility supplements at Make a Mom, or visit Women’s Health for excellent pregnancy resources. You can also find additional parenting tips at Modern Family Blog.