It Takes A Village

Q: Have you ever blushed, or wished you were invisible, 

when your kid had a tantrum in public? 

A: Sure you have, and I have too,

this mommy thing ain't easy.

We let society tell us that kids are best seen and not heard, adorable accessories to be photographed and cooed at, patted and patronized. Guess what mamas, that is SO NOT COOL! Our babies, our toddlers, our tweens and teens, they're not just mini-adults. Research basically says that young kids are programmed to be selfish.

When kids hit, and bite, and shout "mine", yes we need to teach them about respect, but we also need to recognize that they think in terms of "me, me, me" because they literally DON'T KNOW HOW to see the world from another person's perspective. (Shout out to Jean Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development)

They say "It takes a village to raise a child" and that's absolutely true.

Raising kids is like 

a sticky, speedy, scary rollercoaster, 

and it doesn't come with a control switch. 

So next time that you see a mom making the "Don't test me" face, or juggling a baby and a shopping basket, offer to help. Read my new poem "We Take Care" (below) and consider making a funny face at the fussy baby, or asking the mom if you can hold her groceries so that she can adjust the baby. There are lots of ways to help that aren't actually that hard.

#WomenSupportingWomen

Wouldn't you want someone to do the same for you, or your daughter, or your mom?

So be on the look out for the stressed out mamas, find ways to let them know that they're not alone, that the village isn't just there to judge, and that they can handle this challenge.

We Take Care

We take care of baby brother,

because it's the right thing to do.

It really does take a village,

And I'll soothe your baby too

If you'll let me,

I'll make silly faces.

I mean no harm,

I promise.

I'll tire them out,

By running races,

We all need a break,

From the constant chases.

So open your heart,

To those knowing looks and smiles,

We're not in this alone,

As we struggle tired miles.

We take care of other moms,

Because it's the right thing to do.

Please pay the favor forward, 

When its someone else, near you.

Thanks for reading.

You're gorgeous, you're strong,

and you've got a great heart.

XoXo

~Gali

Pick Up A Poem

Good morning world wide web, another day brings another poem. 

Today's poem is actually about poetry itself, and gives a little peek into why I write, and why you might want to read it. Please enjoy my newest original work below, and if it resonates, consider leaving a virtual tip or reading more here. 

Manifesting works! Who woulda thunk...

Pick Up A Poem

When life knocks you down, 

and you're not ready to get up, 

pick up a poem.

Pick up a poem

Or write one yourself

Resonate and recover

As you take a deep breath

There's so much to love

beauty lives all around us

so pick up a poem

you'll be glad that you did

For my entire childhood and even into adulthood, my mom would tell me "life isn't fair". I must've heard that almost every day as a teenager, because I wanted so badly for there to be justice. Sometimes the unfairness dims our inner light. Sometimes the flame within our hearts takes so much effort to maintain, that we wonder if it's even worth trying. Anyone who's tried online dating would probably recognize that feeling. The phrase "you're not alone" isn't a cliche, it's a fact. 

LIFE ISN'T FAIR, and that can be really a tough thing to handle when you're the one getting beaten down by the short end of the stick. Platitudes like "it'll get better" might be well-intentioned, but they're really hard to believe when you're sitting in the muck. So here's a different strategy, pick up a poem, or write on of your own.

OMG you guys I published some of my poetry!

If you have any questions about the self-publishing process, or poetry, or motherhood, or anything under the sun or beyond, I'm happy to chat.

Sometimes all that we want is to give up and wallow in apathetic frustration, or scream in pain and rage, and those are the moments when we need a friend or stranger to #LoveLouder and fan our flame.

Sending vibes of peace and positivity

love and light

hope and help,

xoxo

Gali

Yes I'm Gross, and So Are You

We're ALL gross.

Whether it's the 5 second rule for dropped food, or allowing your dog to lick your spoon, we're all gross in different ways.

You know it's true, so WHY are we still so ashamed to admit the things that we do (or don't do) that are gross?

Some people compare their lives to a dumpster fire, and everyone thinks that it's a joke, but I say that it's time to turn off the Instagram filters of our lives and stop being so ashamed. 

Yes I'm gross, and you are too, and that's okay. Once we find the courage to speak the truth out loud, maybe we can all stop feeling so freaking bad about ourselves.

They say that comparison is the death of happiness, but it's really really hard to stop. The funny/sad part is that so many times we compare ourselves super negatively to these personas that people project. Well it's actually true that no one's perfect, and we'd come out a whole lot better if we only knew the secrets that our idols were hiding. 

Here's a silly poem with a list of some ways that people are gross. If you feel like guessing which of these apply to me, leave a comment and I'll tell you if you were right, scout's honor.

Some People Are Gross

Some people don't shower daily 

And some people don't vacuum or sweep

Some people don't typically brush their teeth before they go to sleep

Some people wear the same clothes twice 

And some people forget to dry them (times four)

Some people leave their underwear on the bathroom floor

Some people eat food that fell on the floor

And some people cut off the moldy part

some people buy breakfast and lunch from the warmers at the gas mart

Some people sneeze into their tshirts

And some people spit phlegm in the street

Some people pick their noses and wipe it under the seat

Some people text on the toilet 

And some people talk on the phone there

Some people burp, fart, blow their noses, on speakerphone without a care. 

Some people leave dishes dirty, 

and some people like pineapple on pizza

Some are more gross than others despite the best efforts of mothers.

So next time you think that someone's gross,

don't judge as harshly as before,

If you're honest, you're gross also,

You just do it behind closed doors. 

Three baskets waiting to be put away,
but hey, at least they're clean!

If my college sweetheart turned husband had known even half of my gross habits when we first started dating, would we have spent all those nights trading "no, you hang up first"? I'm leaning towards probably not. Without a doubt, there's a time and a place to let your gross flag fly, for example, definitely NOT during a job interview. 

Our closest friends and relatives won't cut us out of their lives if we don't clean all night before they visit, but on the other hand, if you need some motivation to stop being a slob, hosting a game night is a pretty good one!

So yes, I'm gross, and you are too, and that's okay. I'm going to go brush my teeth now, for the first time in… more than a day. 

Open toothpaste tube, random puppet, dirty sink,
Guess I've got some cleaning to do

Shout out to my kids for being daily reminders that we're all gross by nature, and if we work as a team, we can be a little more clean.

XoXo

Tired Mama