3 Top Parenting Posts to Fight Mom Guilt
I’ve been thinking more and more about the care and nurturing of Moms. In fact the more I think about it, the more the topic pops up. Every conversation seems to have this underlying theme. If only I had more me time, if only I had more sleep, if only I had more patience.
I’ll be tackling this idea of taking care of MOM over the next few months one post at a time. Of course, we can’t talk about taking care of Mom without addressing the idea of Mom guilt.
I used to say (and think) that Mom guilt wasn’t an issue for me. I’ve always understood it and empathized but it never really bothers me. After reading these posts though I realize that I have suffered from Mom guilt quite a bit… I’m just really good at squashing it. I’m hoping this will help you become a master at squashing it too!
3 Top Parenting Posts to Fight Mom Guilt
These three stories are similar. They are all covering the same topic… but their voices are all different. Their situations are different. I suggest you read them all. For me there was a different AHA! moment in each one. If you know of another post that would be great on this list add it in the comments.
- Should Mama. This is one of my favorite parenting posts of all time. Alissa from Creative with Kids poured her heart into it and because of that it hits home on so many levels. It’s such a great reminder of what our kids really need from us.
- Judger in my Veins. Hands Free Mama, Rachel knows exactly how to wrap her words around her readers like a great big hug. In this post she does a fantastic job of pointing out just how easy it is to forget to treat ourselves with kindness.
- For the Mom who Thinks She’s Screwing Up. Allison from We Have Aars put a little extra thought into a quote she saw floating around the internet and came up with a beautiful response. “Behind every great kid is a Mom who’s pretty sure she’s screwing it all up” doesn’t have to be true! I love how she quickly put a stop to that type of thinking for herself.
3 Steps to Take to Start Feeling Good Again
If you’ve been around me for any period of time you know that offering comfort and inspiration is only part of the equation. The next step is to create action. To pull yourself up and out of this nasty funk… YOU have to do the work. Inspiration will only take you so far before you start sinking back down.
- Evaluate the situation. Sometimes mom guilt can creep in because of other reasons, your guard is down because you have too many things on your plate, there are little things bothering you or you need more sleep. It might make it easier to give yourself a break if you see the bigger picture about your mood.
- Notice the good (or better yet the GREAT!). In each one of those posts the Mom turned around her pain by paying attention to what is great about her. The things she is doing right. Compliment yourself A LOT! Write down the things you are doing right, the things that make you special and incredible to be around. Keep the list handy so you can read it the next time a parenting funk creeps up.
- Be ready for the next time. Find a song or a quote that you can pull out when you start to feel the Mom guilt creeping in.
Share your story in the comments. Did you need to read this right now? Do you know someone you think should read it? Do you have an article or book or quote that might hit someone else right where they need it? Let’s work together to bring down the guilt and build up our confidence.