3 Things Disney taught me about Motherhood (Surprise Birthday Trip to Disney World)

This week I took a long-needed pause and surprised my son with a vacation to Disney World. Jokes on me, because I honestly feel like I need another vacation from this vacation. I am exhausted but it was beyond worth it. Taking Preston to Disney for his 5^th birthday had been the plan even before he was born and while this trip to Disney looked a bit different then I first imagined, it happened still. 

I must have slipped up about three or four times while speaking to my bestie during the planning stages. Mentioning Disney and the airport but luckily, I didn’t ruin the surprise. With an early flight, I am not sure the letter from Mickey was as exciting to a half-asleep Preston but there was no hiding his excitement when he found out he would be going on his first plane ride. Somewhere in between the beautiful resort, the Florida heat, tons of walking, Disney character parades, rollercoasters and shows, there was a moment to learn a bit about motherhood from it all. And y’all know I have to share…

 

1)      Different just means different. Simple. If I’m honest, in the most magical place on earth, I found myself having these weird moments during this amazing trip when I thought about how it was supposed to be a family trip. My son with his parents, experiencing so many firsts. But my son turning to me and telling me during the Disney parade that the trip was “his dream come true” let me know that he wasn’t experiencing any of the weird feelings I was. He was totally content with experiencing this moment with his mommy. Different does not mean less than or inferior in some way. It just means things don’t always pan out how we expect. But what if they turn out better? 

 

2)      Children mimic your emotions/responses. Remember when you were pregnant, and people would tell you, your baby could feel all of your emotions? Well, even after delivery, that doesn’t change, and I was reminded of that during this trip. On the plane, my excited son, grabbed my hand at takeoff for some reassurance that he was safe, and all was well. On his first rollercoaster, he clenched onto my arm during the “scary part”, and I remained calm and talked him through it as best I could. As long as he knew I was calm, he was able to keep it together…well at least on the ride, because after, not so much. I learned in that moment, how often, as a mom it is necessary to keep your cool even in moments it feels impossible. Providing a sense of reassurance for your child during the scary parts. They need and deserve that.

 

3)      Experiences are long lasting. While there are toys from Christmas that haven’t been played with, I have not stopped hearing about the plane ride, the resort and seeing Mickey. Disney reminded me of the importance of experiences over things. And of course, experiences won’t always look like a trip to Disney, some may be going to a new park, trying a new recipe, or driving to a new town for a weekend trip with your kiddo. But no matter how big or small, experiences are long lasting and help shape some of the greatest memories.

 

And now, as I sit at the end of my vacation and days from being the mother of a 5-year-old, I am not only in disbelief, but I am constantly learning new ways to mother in the most unexpected places. I am learning the importance of patience…lots of patience and giving room to my big boy to grow into exactly who he is becoming. So while I am a bit exhausted and headed back to our busy reality, I am reminded more than ever to make more moments that feel like Disney. More moments that feel like a “dream come true”.