and then he hauled off and slapped me in the face.

What am I supposed to do? Laugh? Cry? Scold him? Ignore the behavior (isn’t that what the experts tell you to do)? What is the right thing to do when your sweet, innocent, curly blond toddler decides it is time to start testing boundaries, First name / right?

It wasn’t like he was mad or sad. He had a big smile on his face, wound up, hand next to his ear, elbow pointed right at me (you know how they do it), just wondering what would happen if he let it fly.

I don’t think me saying “we don’t hit” and “nice hands please” while trying to hold back a massive laugh had the same effect as it would have if I had been able to keep my sh*t together and act angry. But when it barely hurts and he looks so damn cute, what am I supposed to do?

(Is it weird that I ** sh*t but not d*mn? Not sure, you tell me.)

As much as I don’t want him testing limits in this exact way (as in, hitting his mom in the face), I do want him to continue trying new things simply to ~see what happens~.

Testing limits is something so many of us stop doing as we get older. 

We fall into what is comfortable at work, we opt for more Netflix and chill and less go out and explore and—especially when we’re pulled in a million directions as parents (and yes, dogs and plants can count here if that calls to you)—we get in a routine, we stop challenging ourselves, we start believing it is too late to try something completely new, and life just starts to pass us by.

Testing boundaries is kind of like believing in Santa. When we’re little, it is as easy as breathing. When we’re older, we think it is just something we did when we were little. 

But, I’ve found that the most interesting people in my life are those who continue to test limits, change, grow, and blow it up to start all over again—even when it would be easy and comfortable to stick to their personal status quo.

Testing your limits could look like starting a whole new career or side business, but it doesn’t have to be that big. (And it also doesn’t have to involve hitting your mom).

For most of us, little limit tests could look like shifting your weekly routine to add something that lights you up, something you’ve always wanted to try, something that helps you connect back to who you were before you were “mom” or something that challenges you to do something completely new and out of the box.

Maybe it looks like…

• Starting a garden(or like… buying one plant)
• Tackling the DIY project you’ve been putting off since you bought your house (emphasis on the Y)
• Cooking a new recipe(I made this last night and it was bomb… and most importantly, it was quick and easy!)
• Getting behind or in front of the camera (here’s how!)
• Lighting a candle to make yourself 1% happier when you would normally just skip it (I’ve been on a “burn every candle in my house before buying any new ones” kick lately… can you tell?)
• Starting an email list and writing an email once a month(oh hi, it’s me)

I’m promise I’m not trying to be like one of those random Instagram influencers who tell you if you just work hard and be nice to people, life will work out.

I just think we (read: I) can get so caught in the day-to-day that we forget that there are small ways to reclaim ourselves and our ability to push limits or break out of the norm… We’re never going to be who we were before becoming parents, and that’s actually okay the dream. It means that we can reclaim old passions in new ways or try something completely different that speaks to us in this season of life.

All it took was my toddler slapping me in the face to remind me. 

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