Let Go

I like control. I like things put away neatly. I like labels. I like color coordination. It is a lot to keep up with but also makes me feel good. It’s the OCPD in me. However, I realized as a mom, it doesn’t always work when you have young kids. I have kept up with it since day one but I realized that my girls aren’t going to learn how to clean up after themselves, how to set the table, how to put away their clean laundry unless I give them the chance to. That is where I have learned to let go. It is new for me but very rewarding.

Ever since we converted a bedroom into a playroom, and moved both girls into a room to share, the playroom got very messy very quick. I ended up donating maybe half their toys. Most they grew out of or weren’t playing with anymore. I also binned up a lot of the toys too to help with clutter in the playroom. Does the playroom still get messy? Absolutely. They’re kids. What I used to do is spend some evenings cleaning it, or cleaning it with the girls, and having a specific spot for everything. I still have a specific spot for everything, but I don’t clean it up as much anymore. Which is nice. But for that to happen, I had to learn to let go and take a step back allowing the girls to be responsible for their own playroom. They attempt to clean it up, they do a lot of stacking. Things don’t go in the baskets I’d like them to. Books aren’t neat on the shelf. But…. It’s cleaned up. And I let go and let them be fully responsible of their room. It is hard for me, sometimes I go in and straighten up what they already cleaned up, but that is maybe once every couple weeks.

Another thing I have learned to let go of is how clothes are in their drawers. I am also very particular about their clothes. I have a specific spot for everything, neatly folded. That’s how I am with my own clothes. There’s a spot for everything. I also donate a lot. I recently donated a lot of my girls clothes allowing space to open up in their drawers and if I keep up with their laundry, there’s not a lot of clothes clutters and we aren’t living out of laundry baskets. Recently, I let go of putting away my girls clothes. I put their clean clothes in a basket, give to them and they put away. One daughter neatly puts her clothes away, she has a system. My other daughter just throws it in the drawers. I do not go in and fix anything. The only thing I do is hang up their clothes. It has taken something off my plate, and the girls have become responsible with their own clothes. If you know my girls, you could probably guess which one throws their clothes in the drawers and which one neatly folds. It’s quite hilarious to watch. They actually enjoy it too. Which is really cool as a mom to watch. Yes, I cringe a little bit seeing unfolded clothes in a drawer, but that’s something I am learning. To let it go and let it be and let my girls learn.

It’s a big change for us, and we’ve been a great team with the changes. The girls are becoming more responsible and they are loving the responsibility too. This is a part of motherhood I have really enjoyed. Watching my little girls who I used to do everything before start to become more independent one day at a time. It’s a very rewarding thing to watch.

What are some things you’ve had to learn to let go as a parent to allow your kids to be and feel more independent? Let me know! I’d love to chat about it!

As always thank you for reading!

Susana