When You Feel Like A Bad Mom, Remember This

I’m willing to bet that every mom out there has felt like a bad mom about some point during motherhood.

And any mom who says she hasn’t felt that way? She’s lying. If you’re feeling like a bad mom because you snapped at your child for pestering you after a long day at the office, or because you let the baby cry for twenty minutes just so you could have a small chunk of time to sit down and do nothing, don’t sweat it.

Whether you’re a new or seasoned mama, know that you are not alone in feeling the #momguilt – and you are not a bad mom! Here’s why.

Reason #1: We have all felt incompetent at some point as mothers.

We have all compared ourselves to others, and we are always worse off for it. Just because the mom down the street packs her kid’s lunch with only organic food every day while you send yours to school with a Lunchables does not mean she is a better mom than you. She’s different than you, and that’s okay.

Reason #2: You are doing your best, and that’s all you can do.

You can’t do better than your best; it’s impossible! So don’t get discouraged if your best isn’t as good as you want it to be. All that matters is that you are trying. It’s okay if you didn’t manage to fold the last load of laundry; you still put in enough effort to get the laundry clean.

And let’s be honest:

Getting all the clothes washed is a major accomplishment in itself when laundry is never ending.

Reason #3: Every person who loves you knows you’re a good mom.

The only person who is doubting your ability is you. Everyone else can see how hard you work and everything you have sacrifice and continue to sacrifice for your little ones. Keeping a kid alive is not an easy job these days, and the people who love you think you’re doing just fine. Trust me.

Reason #4: You have come a long way from where you used to be.

If you look back to the first few days, weeks, even months of motherhood, you’ll realize how much you’ve grown. From learning how to hold your breath while changing a rancid diaper to potty training, you have come so far!

Reason #5: You are stronger than you think.

You pushed a tiny human out for Christ’s sake, woman! You brought life into this world, and nobody can take that from you. It takes a lot of guts to be a mom, but being a good mom only requires a lot of love.

The fact that you’re concerned about being a good mom? That tells me you’ve got plenty of both.