Pick your battles. I’ve heard that phrase so many times, and while it has always made sense to me, its meaning is magnified now that I’m a mom of three boys. Every minute in my M.O.B. house seems to teeter on the verge of rushing toward tenderness (awww, they’re cuddling) or destruction (do NOT throw those shoes at the window), and it’s hard to predict which way the moment is going to go. With strong personalities like the ones in my house, I’ve had to learn to think fast and embrace the “pick your battles” mentality. And here are 10 battles I never pick anymore, and which I recommend you don’t pick either.
- Snow boots on a hot summer day. ( Let it be!)
- Putting non-bath toys in the bath (Even if you cringe at the thought of Hot Wheels cars or Legos now being decoupled from the rest of their collection and sentenced to a life alongside gunky squirty toys. No stuffed animals, though. That would be gushy and gross.)
- Impromptu visits to the playground.  (They’re only little once, people! The day will come when your child no longer wants to play on the playground. Indulge now if you have the time!)
- Dessert after dinner. Every single night. (because you secretly want it, too!)
- Ice cream FOR dinner. Occasionally. (Good calcium, you know.)
- Wearing socks outside. (I’ve come to think of them as disposable!)
Outdoor fun in socks? - Underwear almost inextricably tangled within pants that were taken off and left inside out all as one piece. (Someday, the kids will move out, and you’ll miss doing their laundry. Maybe.)
All tangled! - Nudity. Very. Frequent. Nudity. (They’ll figure out the benefits of clothes someday)
- Nerf wars. (We stick with the “belly and below” rule, but I’ve given up on shouting “Don’t bang that Nerf gun into the wall!” and instead I live with occasional gashes in our fresh paint and sheetrock.)
- Messy crafts. Like finger paint all over the body. (It’s ok. It’s washable).
You may be thinking I’ve lost my mind, I’ve lost my sense of responsibility as a parent (Doesn’t she care about her kids eating healthy? Doesn’t she care if they ruin things like brand new socks). But I haven’t. I’ve found my sanity by learning to LET GO a little bit! Try it! You only live once, and kids today have sooo many rules to follow. They do so much right, that I like to be able to say YES to something they want to do instead of always saying NO.
What battles do you vow to no longer pick?
Such a funny photo of your kids at the end.
Ha! Yes! It’s an oldie but goodie. Makes me smile every time I see it.
Oh, that sock pic is the best! And so can relate to the undies entangled in the pants! How do they even do that?
This is so refreshingly real. I don’t have boys, but I too have heard over and over, “Choose your battles,” and I certainly have to practice that even with my people-pleasing and obliging daughter.
Parenting is hard, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves that being a kid can be hard too. Kids have a lot of rules to follow that often don’t make sense to them or interfere with their fun. It’s important to give them some leniency in areas that are not dangerous to their health or wellbeing.
YES!!! I completely agree. Thanks for reading!