9 Skills I Need to Master Motherhood

My husband laughs at me for this, but there are just some things I feel like I need to learn to do before my children are old enough to remember, because let’s face it: Did you mother fail you that often? Maybe she did, but mine didn’t and I have some major shoes to fill.

My mother already teaching Little K how to be a lady and wear “lipstick.”

So I can eventually do things the way my mother did, these are the things I’d like to master in the next couple of years:

1. Master the art of baking. Specifically, chocolate chip cookies and rice crispy treats — the two best childhood baked goods. I can make both, but have yet to perfect MY recipe that all the neighborhood kids come over to eat.

2. Be able to do more than ponytails when it comes to hair. I can’t do my hair well at all, but I’m hoping I can practice and get decent at doing things like braiding hair before my girls can remember. I love how adorable two French braids look on little gals! {Note: My mom wasn’t great at doing my uber-thick hair, but she did OK and at least gave me some variety during my younger days.}

3. Sew more than pillowcases. I don’t need Martha-like skills, but it would be nice to be able to do basic stuff for Halloween costumes and such. And since my girls may follow in my footsteps and do dance and theater, I best be prepared to put together costumes much like my own mother had to do while I grew up.

4. Beautifully wrap gifts. Sure, I can wrap halfway decent, but I can’t quite get those corners as perfect as my mom can. And bows? Forget about making my own…they always turn out flat and awkward looking.

5. Master cleaning the bathroom. I can clean a b-room without any issues, but not quite like my mom can. She knows every trick in the book from how to properly clean grout to how to get rid of soap scum in a pinch. And it seems to take me twice as long to clean anything. She’s a pro!

6. Be a smarter grocery shopper and menu planner. I’ve finally mastered matching sales with coupons, but I have yet to make a flawless I-didn’t-forget-anything grocery shopping trip. I don’t recall my mom ever running to the store for that one ingredient that’s missing, which I feel like I do all the time {or I make the hubby go after work!}.

7. Iron. I loathe ironing. So much so that I refuse to iron the hubby’s dress shirts and so we get them dry cleaned. My mom has tried to show me the ropes, but I just can’t seem to catch on. I just avoid clothes that require ironing, but I know the day will come when my kids come home with something that requires it and I’ll be doomed. I need to practice!

8. Stop swearing. I can’t seem to shake this one. It has definitely gotten better since I’ve become a mom, but sometimes I just can’t help it…and I even swear when I’m happy. For no reason. My own mom rarely swears — and she NEVER would say an F-bomb. She’s a true lady.

9. Negotiation skills. I’m getting better, but mama is the master. She can walk into a car dealership and make them come down on price like crazy. She even barters at antique stores – something I’ve never even thought about doing. As a gal who likes to stick to her monthly budget, this is a skill I must master so I can show the ropes to my girls, too.

What skills does/did your own mom (or dad or guardian) have that you’d like to master?