DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Chick-fil-A and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
Heroes are applauded every day for the work they do. It's important to acknowledge when a person goes above and beyond, but there's one hero who is often overlooked. She works silently and diligently behind the scenes. She always puts the needs of others above her own. And she rarely gets praise for the endless work she does. We all know who she is...Mom!
Motherhood is a journey like no other. It's beautiful, scary, stressful and incredible all at the same time. Being a mom is the hardest, yet most rewarding job you will ever have! Moms are the unsung heroes. They simply don't get praised often enough for one of the most important jobs there is: raising good human beings.
Being a mother is especially challenging these days. With the strong presence of "perfect" moms who are doing it all on social media, it's so easy to feel less than ideal. It's easy to feel like you just aren't doing enough and you're not good enough. But that's simply not true.
The majority of moms are great moms. They are just trying their hardest to raise decent kids and make it through the long days. They give their all and expect nothing in return, because they would do ANYTHING for their child.
The real truth is, every mom possesses a gift that is unique to them and them only. Whether it be a beautiful singing voice that lulls their child to sleep or arms that hug like no other or an animated voice that captivates their child during story time, every mom is unique.
It doesn't matter how we compare to other moms. The only thing that matters is what kind of mom we are to our own kids. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of our kids would tell us that we are more than good enough. We need to ignore social media presence, EMBRACE the unique traits that we have, and just focus on loving our kids! They think we are heroes, and I do, too!
To the single mom...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who goes to work for her family...YOU are a hero.
To the stay at home mom...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who works at home amidst the chaos...YOU are a hero.
To the military moms who are solo parenting for months on end...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who breastfeeds...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who formula feeds...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who has a child with special needs...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who has one child...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who has 10 kids...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who has multiples...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who birthed their own child...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who adopted a child...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who gave her child up for adoption...YOU are a hero.
To the woman who is struggling to become a mom...YOU are a hero.
To the young mom...YOU are a hero.
To the older mom...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who homeschools...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who sends her child to school...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who juggles activities...YOU are a hero.
To the mom who focuses on family life at home...YOU are a hero.
To every mom, everywhere, who is trying her hardest and loving her kids...YOU are a hero. You are enough. You matter. And you are making a difference!
I decided to ask my adorable crew a few questions to see which hero qualities they thought I possessed!
Dylan, Age 12
Mom: "Why am I a hero?"
Dylan: "Because you do stuff for me and you are always by my side if I'm hurt or if I'm sad."
Mom: "What did I do today that was special?"
Dylan: "You played football with me even though I hurt your finger with the ball yesterday. Most moms wouldn't do that. I thought it was really cool of you."
Mom Thoughts: Even though he's a tween, he's still such a sweet kid! And yes, he did heave a football at my fingers and injured them, but that's just part of the game!
Alexandria, Age 10
Mom: "Why do you think I'm a hero?"
Lexie: "Because you take care of me when I'm sick, you help me with my homework, and you love me, cook for me and care for me!"
Mom: "What did I do today that was special?"
Lexie: "Well, I can't do anything because of my cast...so you helped me get dressed and you put my hair in a bun. You also left me a sweet note in my lunchbox, which made me feel special and loved."
Mom Thoughts: Lexie is always mature beyond her years and knows exactly what's important in life!
Liliana, Age 5
Mom: "What makes me a hero?"
Lily: "You always be nice and you always help me unzipper my jacket! You also make me food really quick, and I like that because I'm always starving. And when you had your horse, you always let me go on it and ride it. His name is Cherokee. But he died. You're also a hero because you record me sometimes and it makes me feel like I'm on YouTube. Wait...are you recording this?!?"
Mom: "What did I do today that was special?"
Lily: "You took me to the park, you let me push the little cart at the grocery store and get candy, you helped me learn things, you pushed me on the swing, you jumped on the trampoline with me and it was so funny and so fun, you watched a YouTube video to learn how to do an Elsa braided bun and YOU DID IT, and you came to my Open House and were proud of my hard work! Oh and you watched me dance at dance class and looked proud!"
Mom Thoughts: Lily has a BIG personality. She has a lot to say and she's going to go places in this world!
Liam, my Downright Perfect boy, Age 3
Mom: "What makes mama a hero?"
Liam: "Hi, Mama! Hi! Nigh-Nigh. Love you. Bye! Bye! Bye, mama."
Mom: "What did I do today that was special?"
Liam: "Hi, Mama! Love you. Too-da-loo!"
Mom: "Is it time for bed?"
Liam: "Yessss. Nigh-Nigh."
Mom Thoughts: If he could put it into words, I think his favorite things would be me taking him to the park and me pushing him on the swing, even though it was raining!
If you're a mom in the Pittsburgh area, Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh invites you to attend Hero Night at The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh on May 13th, from 6:30-9:30 PM. This fun family night will focus on celebrating moms, our everyday heroes!
The best part is that you can give back while having a great time! All ticket proceeds will benefit A Glimmer of Hope Foundation, which is a Pittsburgh-based breast cancer foundation. Glimmer of Hope was founded in 1994 by Diana Napper, to honor the wishes of her best friend, who lost the fight against the disease. After losing my own grandmother to breast cancer years before she should have left us, this is a cause I can proudly support!
The $10/person ticket cost includes museum admission, food and fun family activities. Your family can walk the red carpet fit for everyday heroes, enjoy delicious Chick-fil-A food and snacks, contribute to the "Thank You Mom Tree" and dance on the dance floor! There will also be photos, face painting, balloon art, hair braiding and chalk design.
There will also be opportunities to give back to A Glimmer of Hope Foundation. In the art studio, your kids can design action hero capes, you can decorate action hero masks or purchase a customized mini plush Chick-fil-A cow!
Come join Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh on May 13th for this fun family night, and make a difference! Chick-fil-A Hero Night tickets can be purchased HERE.