When my kids were young, and I exclusively stayed home with them, they opened presents and ate pink pancakes for breakfast on Valentine’s Day, enjoyed a fancy dinner that evening, and the secret Valentine man always delivered dessert.  

On St. Patrick’s day, they woke up to gold candy all over the kitchen, they were treated to Lucky Charms, and for dinner, had green chicken alfredo with homemade Irish soda bread.  

None of that was required to be a good mom.  

They were strings that I attached to being a mom.  

One holiday season, when I was teaching school full-time and working in my coaching business, the pancakes, presents, gold candy, fancy dinners, all stopped.  

Not intentionally, so at first, I felt horrible for not living up to the “mom that I created”.  

But you know what?  

Not a single girl said a word about the missing pancakes, fancy dinner, or green food.  

I thought those actions and hard work made a BIG impact on their experience, but I realized I was wrong when they didn’t miss them.  

I took inventory and cut some of those strings using up time, money, and mental energy, and not giving me the results or desired benefits.

I cut strings that didn’t align with the MOM AND BUSINESS OWNER that I wanted to be.

I cut the ones that started with 

“I should” “I need” “but good moms”…

I don’t regret the days of “FUN” celebrations!  And at the time, when my kids were little, I loved doing those things for them (or so I thought).  

But since cutting the strings, I intentionally added back in those that I wanted for each holiday.

I love my motherhood so much more, and we all enjoy the holidays even more because each thing we do is intentional and serves the desired purpose.