Making memories with your kids is more important than vanity.  I have an imperfect body, and with that I have an imperfect view of what a perfect body means.  But guess what?!?  My kids do not give a shit about what my body looks like.  All they care about it playing with Mom at the local splash pad.  And that my friends is why I sucked it up and donned my one-piece Mom suit in all it’s glory and ran through sprinklers at the splash pad and did not care what anyone else thought.

I used to be a dancer, and a competitive cheerleader.  I even taught hip hop dance classes in my mid twenties when I met my husband.  When we started dating, he used to brag to his friends that he was dating a sexy hip hop dancer.  But even then in all my fit dancer body glory, I still wasn’t satisfied with how I looked.  I had too much junk in the trunk and love handles and imperfect abs and blah blah blah.  As the saying goes, I wish I was as fat now as I thought I was ten years ago.

But flash forward to 2017.  I got married in 2012, and had kids in 2013, 2015, and 2016.  And no, I did not “let myself go” after I got married.  But my priorities changed, my body changed, and the cadence of my life changed.  I used to have unlimited free time.  I would come home from work, go to the gym, come home and make dinner, and watch my favorite tv show.  Then once kids came along, they dictated my schedule.  Yes, I still get up most days at 5am to workout before all the kids get up, but a 30 minute morning workout is only a quarter of the workout time I used to get in the past.  Those 30 minutes make me feel good, strong, and flexible, but they are not keeping up with the dance bod I previously had.  And that is ok.

I am a strong, happy, woman with four children and a husband who love her.  My worth does not come from a six pack or being the hottest mom at the splash pad.  And that is why I do not care what I look like, or what the other moms think I look like as I laugh and giggle with my kids running through watery tunnels, splashing on top of giant sprinklers, and getting hit with giant water guns.  My kids are going to remember me getting wet, playing with them, and laughing the whole afternoon.  They do not notice my thunder thighs, or my imperfect triceps.  They see me as a beautiful, fun, happy creature who they call Mom, and nothing else matters to them.  And, nothing else matters to me as well.

So Moms, put on that bathing suit and splash in the water with your kids.  I promise the memories you create are more important than the brief judgement you might get from strangers at the park you will never have to see again.  And to be honest, they are most likely not judging you.  They are wishing that they had the confidence you have as you laugh with your kids instead of staying covered up on the sidelines.