I'm a Bad Mom and I'm Okay with It

According to my oldest son, I am a bad mom.
At least that is what he told me yesterday when I wouldn't let him go play with his brothers while they were in time out.

He said, "You are a bad mom!"
I said, "Do you want a different one?"  Not my finest moment, I admit.
Noah, "No!  I don't want a different mom.  I just want you to change your attitude."

Wow.
I honestly didn't even know how to respond to that.
I managed to get out a "Well, sorry.  There is nothing wrong with my attitude right now.  Maybe you should change yours."

Although I have to admit that it hurt my feelings that Noah called me a bad mom, I know that he did it because I made a decision that he didn't like.
And that is when the logic and love overwhelmed my thoughts, even if my heart was hurting.

You see, I could choose to always be a good mom in the eyes of my children, but actually, I would then be a bad mom.  From what I can gather from the amazing moms I know:

• Good moms discipline their children.
• Good moms try to do what is best for their children, even when their children wish they wouldn't.  
• Good moms are not willing to do anything just to get their children to like them. 
• Good moms put the health (spiritual, mental, and physical) of their children at a higher priority than being liked all the time. 
• Good moms are willing to sacrifice friendship right now for parenting, in hopes that when the children get older there will be deep friendships and appreciation.
• Good moms create an enviornment where their children feel it is okay to express their negative feelings, as long as it is respectful.
• Good moms let their kids be upset with them because they know that in the end it is for their best.
• Good moms might get called a "bad mom" a time or two, and that actually means that they are doing a great job parenting their preschooler or teenager.

So, if Noah wants to call me a bad mom because he didn't like a discipline decision, I'm okay with it.  (Although I did have a nice conversation about using respectful words to express his frustration.)  It means that I actually did something right yesterday. 
And after the day I had yesterday, that is a BIG win.

Lord, help me to be a "Good Mom" in your eyes, even when, especially when, my children think I am a bad one.