Dear Sweet Mama,
Are you having one of those weeks? I sure am.
Maybe you handed the cashier a tampon instead of your debit card.
Or just forgot your wallet entirely.
Your garage door snapped off its hinges.
Maybe you snapped off your hinges.
Maybe your toddler lost it in a public place and you got those stares. You know the ones.
You lost it with your spouse, or your toddler.
You lost it with yourself.
You burned dinner.
Dinner was from a drive thru (again). Even if it was “their pleasure” it didn’t feel like yours.
Maybe all the guilt is heavy. Because mom guilt is never light.
Maybe the house is a mess because a nap while the kids napped will make you a better mom than vacuum lines.
The laundry isn’t done. And no sock has a date to the prom.
Maybe your anxiety is high, but healthy coping mechanisms seem too hard right now. Self care too big of a chore.
You’re touched out, but feel alone.
Maybe you tripped in public. I mean that’s what you get for wearing flip flops outside of Florida in October.
You over committed, and feel like you are underdelivering.
You bailed.
You cried.
Maybe you tried really hard, and it still didn’t feel like enough.
Mama, it’s ok. We all have those days. Those weeks. You are enough. When some well meaning old lady tells you “You’re gonna miss this” as you wrangle a cart, tiny people, and what you can remember off your forgotten grocery list, smile politely. Know her comment will someday be true. Even if you kind of want to sucker punch her in the moment. Some days we pack Pinterest bento boxes with heart shaped sandwiches, and other days the kiddos get an off brand Lunchable. But every day they get love.
You are a good mama.
You didn’t want to get up with your alarm clock/toddler/newborn gave you the signal to rise, but you rose. And did all the things.
You didn’t want to deal with one more tantrum, but you handled it with strength and grace. Or at least followed up with an apology.
Everyone ate. Three meals. Or at least 547,873 snack equivalents. Some days a calorie is a calorie. Not every meal has to be perfectly balanced. Remember how many Happy Meals you had as a child? You are just fine.
So you showed your child that grown ups make mistakes. No one is perfect. Perfection is a terrible goal because it’s simply not achievable. How about patting yourself on the mama back for showing your babies that when you fall, real strength is getting back up.
Our Strength Comes in Our Numbers.
A friend reminded me that one of the most important jobs we have in this season is to talk to one another. In sharing the hard moments, we make each other not feel so alone. Motherhood is a community sport. My guilt subsides a bit when I learn I am not the only one that occasionally loses it. I am not the only one that has tough days. And those tough days don’t make me a bad mom. Just like your tough days don’t make you a bad mom. Find those other mamas that can reflect your worth back to you. In the midst of rough patches, when you feel like your head keeps bobbing below the surface, know it’s a season. And thankfully, as they say, the leaves are about to show us how beautiful it is to let things go.
Needed this, thank you!
Love this! I definitely needed this too. It’s important to know we aren’t alone and we are doing everything we need to do. We are enough.
Thank you for reading!
I really really loved this. This is so true and so often we don’t allow ourselves the break that we need. I’m harder on myself than anyone else is on me and yet I can’t figure out how to let go of my own high expectations for what I should be doing as a parent. This was very refreshing and calming to read, thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Sent this to a friend who really needs this right now. Thank you!
I hope it helps her! Thanks for reading
This is so sweet of you. I feel like us moms are suppose to have a super mom/super women face all the time but it does get hard. This will touch someone who really needs it.
Thank you! That’s my intent!
A must read for all mamas then keep somewhere safe to read again when needed. Thank you for sharing
Thank you so much for reading!!
This is beautiful. Needed this because I’ve had a hard week.
Thank you for reading! I hope your week turns around!
Loved! Loved! Loved! Everything about this post. It’s hard finding moms that post about real stuff . That goes beyond the surface of complaints, self doubt, and loneliness.
Motherhood is indeed a community sport. We are better together than alone. Thank you for sharing your post. I especially loved the part about the lesson we teach our children on resilience. Getting back up after a mistake being made or a mishap or forgotten lunch box—- whatever, the art of getting back up and trying again. Ultimately that’s the type of life lesson we want ingrained in our children when they grow up and fly free. Resilience, appreciation and love for community, but most importantly, integrity. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comment!!
Thank you for this honest post. Everything you have said in this post is so true. Every mum everywhere needs to be reminded of this sometimes.
This is completely raw!! And I’m here for it!
Thank you so much!!
Yes! Things we all need to remember! Oh the Happy meals! We are all okay huh? Who would’ve thought 😉