Restoration Wellness, LLC

Releasing the Idol of Motherhood

Lately, outings feel different.

It used to be three sets of eyes looking up at me, three hands reaching for mine, three little shadows trailing behind me wherever I went. These days, it is just one. My last little sidekick.

The older two? They have moved on to group chats, inside jokes I am not part of, and independence that tugs a little at my heart each time they say, “Nah, I’ll stay home.”

But this last one still looks at me like I hung the moon. Still wants to ride next to me, still asks for snacks and stories and “just us” time. And so I savor every moment. Every grocery trip that turns into a mini adventure. Every spontaneous detour for ice cream. Every hand held without hesitation.

Because I know what is coming. I have seen it already.

This is the last season of tiny hands in mine. The last kiddo who still thinks time with mom is the best part of the day. And I am going to soak it in like sunshine on skin.

But even in the sweetness of this season, I have had to check my heart.

Because if I am not careful, I can start to cling too tightly—not just to the moments, but to the role itself. When your identity has been “Mom” for so long, it’s easy to forget that it’s a calling—not your cornerstone.

And here is the hard truth I’ve wrestled with:
When we idolize motherhood, we set ourselves up for heartbreak when the house gets quieter.
If our sense of purpose is rooted in being needed, what happens when the needing stops?

But God is kind.
He reminds me that before I was their mom, I was His daughter.
And He is not done writing my story just because theirs is shifting.

So I am learning to hold this season with gratitude, not a death grip.
To enjoy the sidekick days, while also preparing my heart to let go with grace.
To remember that every “last” in parenting can also be a holy beginning—if I let God lead.

Because this motherhood thing? It was never meant to be my everything.
Jesus is.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV)

A Mother’s Prayer:

Lord,
Thank You for the gift of being “Mom.”
Help me savor the moments without clinging to the title.
Remind me that my identity is found in You alone—not in how needed I feel, but in how deeply I am known and loved by You. Teach me to walk into each new season with open hands, trusting that You have good plans—both for my children and for me.
Be the anchor when the nest starts to empty, and the joy that carries me into what is next.

Amen.