mom guilt is real
It’s been a minute since I really wrote out some feelings on here. I think it’s time to vent. And if you’d like to join the mom guilt vent sesh, you can DM me, comment below, or comment on my latest Instagram.
Mom guilt is so real. And how I feel fluctuates on a daily basis.
Sometimes I feel like the best mom ever, especially when I am showing you guys different activities or things me and B are doing that I find so much joy in. Or when B asks to hug me or gives me an unsolicited kiss. When we have days with minimal meltdowns. When Baylor speaks a new phrase or learns a new concept. When I am able to make my family a homemade meal and we can actually sit down and eat together. Those days I am on top of the world.
Other days I mope and compare myself to the unrealistic world of moms on the internet; Moms who look perfect 2 weeks after giving birth. Moms who cook every meal. Moms who seem happy and never annoyed with their little ones. Moms who balance a career and motherhood without breaking a sweat.
I want to be all of those moms. But I can’t. It is impossible to be perfect in every capacity.
Don’t get me wrong, moms are SUPERHUMAN. I never realized how much energy, dedication, patience and hard work it truly takes to mother another human or MULTIPLE HUMANS. Insanity. Most moms are incredible. I want to be most moms. I want to be the mom I needed.
Sometimes I have to stop myself and think. Do other moms look at me and feel that way too? Do I post things that seem like all is well all the time? I guess that’s why I am taking a moment to speak on it today.
Is the internet morphing our expectations for moms? Are we adding to their already overflowing plates?
We all know social media is a highlight real but sometimes it shifts your reality and what you think you “should” be especially as a mom. I never want to make any other mom, friend, family member or human on this earth feel lesser because of what the social media world has done to the community of mothers.
I am sure those same moms who look perfect two weeks after giving birth, those same moms who cook every meal and do every activity in the book have mom guilt too. I feel it everyday. I can’t be the only one.
And I value the moms who talk about their struggles. The moms who normalize what their bodies are like now, the mess in their house, the challenges they face on a daily basis.
But I also understand only wanting to show the best side of you to others. To feel like you need that approval.
Now, I don’t know what the answer is to dealing with mom guilt but here are some things I try to think about when feeling shame about not being a perfect robotic mom who does it all, or seems to have it all because of a photo I see on Instagram.
Did I keep my kid safe today?
Is he fed and taken care of?
Did I make sure he felt loved?
And if the answer is yes, which it always is, I know I did my job.
We aren’t always going to be able to go above and beyond everyday - making heart shaped pancakes or doing crafts for the next upcoming holiday. Sometimes we need a break. Sometimes we just need to survive.
I have started to mute or unfollow accounts on Instagram that make me feel like I am not a good enough mom. I keep hearing about this concept of podcasts I have been listening to and it is so important. It you consume content that makes you feel bad about yourself or constantly compare yourself, keep it out of sight and out of mind.
I know deep down I am the best mom for my son.
You are the best mom for your babies too. You were made for them and they were made for you.
I love you all. If you need me you know where to find me!
@motherhoodbymalorie
XOXO
Malorie