Let me just start this off with a disclaimer. This post is in no way meant to minimize the importance of fathers and the value/unique role that they have in a family. It is simply meant to highlight the undeniable/inarguable fact that MOTHERS JUST BE KNOWING.
Now....
The other day I started to write a blog post on what it takes to make "beach days" happen. Kinda like a behind the scenes look into the sweet and fun videos that I post. As I got into writing the blog post, I was struck with a thought: "Why am I writing this?? This is just common sense shit that everyone knows. What's the point of putting it into words?"
And so I scrapped it and wrote nothing.
Then today happened. I told my Lion and my Lucy that I wanted to go to the beach for Mother's Day. I also told them that I didn't want to be in charge of everything. They both were happy to satisfy my request. But as the morning started to unfold, I quickly realized that my Lion, my all-the-time partner who is with me all day every day, had absolutely NO idea how to "do the things" that make beach trips easy-ish. I mean, he had the general idea. He knew we needed towels and toys and that people would want to eat... something at some point. But he didn't know the details that live in my head.
Like how I keep a rolling cooler bag that not only carries the right foods; ones that all 3 kids will eat without hassle or complaint. And he didn't know that the cooler bag also carries beach toys, waterproof phone cases, napkins and bags for trash. He didn't know how I pack the towels and beach blanket in an order that makes setting up our spot on the sand a breeze. He didn't know that Amore needed a string to tie the straps of her swimsuit, or that I keep a first aid kit in her portable changing station.
So then I thought....I should have written that damn blog post. I probably will, actually. Because what is common sense to mothers is like a mystery science to not-mothers. I thought about this for a while and concluded: I am 100% sure that Lion could have gotten us to the beach without my assistance. It's just that things would not have run as seamlessly. The kids wouldn't have been as... I don't even know how to describe it. Let's just say that when mom's in charge, everything that everyone needs is exactly where it needs to be and no one has to worry about anything.
Why is that? I think it's because that, as mothers, we naturally and instinctively anticipate the needs of our family. We know everyone's quirks. We think 10 steps ahead of everyone else in order to avoid hiccups and make our jobs as coordinators a little easier. Also, we know what would make us feel comfortable in certain situations and so we provide that for our husband and children. Like, when I leave the beach, I hate to have sand in my toes. And so I bring a big bottle of water for everyone to wash off their feet before getting into the car. Just makes sense, right?
Moms. The world would be in shambles without us.
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