5 Important Skills to Grow as a Mom

There’s nothing quite like becoming a parent to knock you down a peg or two. For me, becoming a mom made me take a hard look at myself and realize there were lots of habits I’d like to cut back on (like scrolling aimlessly on my phone) and quite a few skills I’d like to form. While I think perfection is a total myth, becoming a mom has made me want to better myself so that I can enjoy parenting and making memories with my family. 

I started thinking of all the things I’d love to do with my daughter and then reverse-engineered them to figure out what skills I’d need to build to make these dreams a reality. While I have a long way to go, making a list is a good place to start.

So without further ado, here are the 5 skills I’ve decided to improve since becoming a parent, and I hope they inspire you too!

Photography 

From the instant my daughter was born and I looked into her perfect face, I wanted to capture every moment. We’re lucky to live in a world of technological advancements where you can record cherished moments and snap photos at the press of a button. It’s amazing, but it also shows you that there’s quite a gap between the average selfie-taker and a professional photographer.

While it would be awesome to have a professional photographer’s skill set, I’d settle for being able to take “above average” photos and enhancing my editing skills. My dream is to catch the precious moments on film so that I can cherish them for a lifetime. 

Sewing 

It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I don’t know how to hem pants. I also wouldn’t be the first to volunteer to sew on buttons or patches. Let’s be real, my sewing skills peaked in 7th grade home ec class. But despite feeling remarkably inadequate, I’d love to be the mom who can create unique Halloween costumes for their kids or alter an outfit. While I might never reach seamstress-level skills, it would be cool to sew without it being a big deal. 

Luckily, I’ve heard there are YouTube tutorials for things like this. I plan to start small and learn a little every year, so I can make a daunting hobby and skill set feel manageable. 

Cooking and baking

Thankfully, I can both cook and bake. My husband even declares I make some of the best food he’s ever eaten, though I question the truth of that. But boy, would I need to practice before hosting Christmas dinner. Heck, I want to make my kids’ favorite foods from scratch. I want to have dishes I’m known for and recipes people request from me. So now that I’ve become a mom, I’ve decided it’s time to improve my skills. My grandma is known for her beef stroganoff, my aunt- her potato salad, and my mom – her stir-crazy cake. What will I be known for?

The only way I can hope to meet these goals is by practicing and refining my skills until my food is legendary (at least among my family). I’m seriously thinking of making various chocolate chip cookie recipes until I find the holy grail. Eating them as I experiment is an added bonus.  

Self-defense

Motherhood is exciting, but it’s also terrifying because now you are protecting another life. I’m grateful to have taken several years of martial arts training as a teenager. Learning those defenses was empowering and something I’d recommend for any woman. Knowing how dangerous the world can be has only strengthened my desire to brush up on self-defense.

Maybe it seems intense, but I’d rather know I can handle myself in a tough situation than hope for the best. I guess this is why so many moms adopt the nickname “Mama Bear”.

Outdoor skills

Have you ever watched the show “Alone”? The premise is that survivalists go to remote locations to live alone with a limited number of items. Whichever person survives the longest without quitting or becoming dangerously ill wins a monetary prize. 

Watching a few episodes of this show made me realize how much my outdoor skills were lacking. 

Fishing? Nope.

Fire starting? Nah.

Foraging? Limited.

Shelter building? Time to start laughing.

I could go on…

Hopefully, my kids and I will only ever need these skills for hobby purposes. However, you never know where life will take you. There’s no time like the present to start learning, and I plan to learn right alongside my family. If I intend to homeschool, I might as well teach things with real-world application.

What Skills Do You Want to Grow as a Parent?

If life has taught me anything, it’s that time goes fast. You have to prioritize goals if you want to achieve them. For me, photography, sewing, cooking, self-defense, and outdoor preservation are skills I’d like to grow as a parent. Which skills resonate the most with you? If there are any you think should be added to the list, leave a comment below!