What Makes My Kids Cry Today

Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

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  • 🎂 What Made My Kid Cry Today: It’s Not My Birthday

    🎂 What Made My Kid Cry Today: It’s Not My Birthday

    By Lizzie @ What Makes My Kid Cry Today

    Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

    It was the middle of the night. The house was quiet.

    Everyone asleep… except for one little soul whose brain had clearly taken a detour through dreamland.

    I hear soft footsteps.

    Then a sleepy voice, full of hope and expectation, whispers from the hallway:

    “Don’t forget to wish me happy birthday.”

    I blink. Confused.

    He’s not wrong—birthdays are important. But also…

    It’s not his birthday. Not even close.

    So I do what any tired, honest mom would do at 3 a.m.

    “Buddy, it’s not your birthday. Go back to sleep.”

    That was it. That was the moment.

    Cue the heartbreak.

    He turned and walked back to his room, shoulders slumped, tears silently forming, whispering to his older brother:

    “It’s not my birthday.”

    And yes—I heard the devastation in his voice.

    Here’s the thing about kids:

    They live in full-color dream logic.

    They believe with their whole heart that waking up could mean a party, cake, balloons… and everyone singing just for them.

    And when reality doesn’t match the dream?

    It hurts.

    But if I’m honest?

    Sometimes I feel that way too.

    I want someone to celebrate me. To see me. To say,

    “Hey, I know it’s not your birthday… but you matter anyway.”

    Because deep down, we’re all just grown-up versions of our kids—wishing, in our own quiet way, to be remembered. Celebrated. Loved.

    So next time your kid wakes up devastated that the calendar didn’t align with their imagination, just remember:

    They’re not being dramatic.

    They’re being human.

    And maybe… they’re just voicing something we all need to hear:

    “Even when it’s not your birthday, I’m glad you’re here.”

    Cry Level: 😭😭😭

    Mom Reaction: Mild guilt. Hugs to follow.

    Takeaway: We all just want to feel celebrated—even when it’s not our birthday.

  • 🧃 Trust Him Anyway (Even When the Morning’s a Mess)

    🧃 Trust Him Anyway (Even When the Morning’s a Mess)

    By Lizzie @ What Makes My Kid Cry Today

    Real Life. Real Laughs. Real Jesus.

    Proverbs 3:5 Devotional

    📖 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)

    💭 Reflection

    This morning didn’t go as planned.

    The cereal spilled.

    The socks went missing.

    One kid melted down because their toast wasn’t “happy enough.”

    And I melted a little, too.

    I found myself asking:

    “Am I already behind before the day has even started?”

    But here’s the truth Proverbs 3:5 gently whispers:

    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

    You don’t have to figure it all out.

    You don’t need perfect understanding, control, or timing.

    You just need to trust.

    God sees the mess. He sees the chaos. He sees your tired heart trying to hold it all together—and He says, “Lean on Me instead.”

    🙏 Prayer

    Lord,

    Today didn’t start the way I wanted it to.

    Help me release the pressure to understand or fix everything.

    Let me trust You more than my schedule, my feelings, or the chaos in front of me.

    Be my peace, even when the morning’s gone sideways.

    Amen.

    💛 Mama Reminder:

    You’re not failing.

    You’re just living real life with real people—and a very real God who’s not surprised by your mess.

    When nothing makes sense?

    Trust Him anyway.

    #Proverbs35 #FaithInMotherhood #TrustHimAnyway #WhatMakesMyKidCryToday #YoureDoingBetterThanYouThink

  • You’ll Sleep When the Baby Sleeps — And Other Lies We’ve Been Told

    You’ll Sleep When the Baby Sleeps — And Other Lies We’ve Been Told

    “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

    If I had a dollar for every time someone told me to “sleep when the baby sleeps,” I might actually be able to afford a nap nanny and blackout curtains. But instead, I got advice that sounded good on Pinterest, made me feel guilty when I couldn’t follow it, and came with a side of dirty laundry and a baby who only naps in 17-minute intervals.

    Let’s Be Honest…

    When you’re in the thick of newborn life, rest doesn’t look like eight uninterrupted hours. It looks like holding your eyelids open with coffee and hope. It looks like folding onesies at midnight and crying over spilled breast milk. It looks like wondering if you’re doing it all wrong because “everyone else” seems to have figured out how to rest.

    Except… they haven’t.

    They’re just tired in cuter pajamas.

    The Lie of “Easy Fixes”

    “Sleep when the baby sleeps.”

    “Cherish every moment.”

    “Enjoy it — it goes by fast!”

    All true in some way. But also? Sometimes unhelpful. These phrases, while well-meaning, can stack guilt on top of exhaustion. What we really need is not more advice — it’s permission. Permission to rest in the middle of the mess. Permission to admit we’re weary. Permission to cry on the kitchen floor at 3 AM and know we’re not alone.

    The Rest Jesus Offers

    Real rest isn’t always physical.

    It’s spiritual. Emotional.

    It’s Jesus whispering, “Come to me.”

    Not, “Come to me when you’ve finished the dishes.”

    Not, “Come to me once the baby’s sleeping through the night.”

    Just — Come.

    Jesus doesn’t offer a clean house or a magic nap schedule. He offers Himself. And that’s enough.

    If You’re Tired Today…

    Friend, you’re not failing. You’re just human.

    And being human means you’ll have seasons where your body is drained, your heart is heavy, and your eyelids twitch for no good reason.

    You weren’t made to carry it all alone.

    So maybe the better version of that old advice is:

    “Rest when the Savior calls.”

    Even if the baby’s wide awake.

    —

    🎧 Listen to This Episode:

    You’ll Sleep When the Baby Sleeps — And Other Lies We’ve Been Told

    Available now on [Spreaker], [Spotify], [Apple Podcasts], and more!

    New episodes every Monday at 6 AM 💛 Mini Devotionals drop Thursdays at 5 PM.

    —

    💬 Let’s Talk:

    What’s the worst (or most hilariously unhelpful) parenting advice you’ve ever been given? Drop it in the comments — we’re building a collection of “good intentions gone wrong.”