The Perfect Mother Myth

The Perfect Mother Myth.

Another beautiful day here doing The Life Lemon Dodge.  I had an amazing walk along the water this morning. Sunshine, tunes in my ears, friendly people passing saying hello, me screaming hello back…well cause I have tunes in my ears and I forget I reply as loud as I do!  And the head journaling begins!

Trying to focus in on one topic, my brain is often like a computer with 50 tabs all open at once, all going rogue trying to get my attention first.

Since I watched that video of the distraught mother on social media that I mentioned the last chat we had, that’s the content that pops up now.  So let’s go with that.

Attention all young mothers…and mothers to be…listen to me now and hear me later.  You are not nor will ever be a perfect parent.  No one in this world is perfect all the time.  And if they say they are, well then their cup floweth over with crap.  So stop comparing yourself to every mother on social media and thinking you need to be perfect.  You do not need to be perfect.  The day you let go of that myth, you will start feeling better about your mothering.

Believe me, when your kids get older they will appreciate that you had your ups and downs mothering, but you handled what came at you and carried on.

You will have good days where laundry gets done, kids behave, dinner gets to the table, and no one loses a limb. So give yourself credit and celebrate those. And you will have bad days where you want to run away and join a traveling circus.  It’s on those days I need you to remember you are ok, trust me, the ship will right itself…sometimes the waves get a little high, but calmer seas will return.

My Experience Many Moons Ago

I used to freak out when my kids would get dirty playing outside…lol  I wasn’t the perfect mother with perfectly clean children…what would the neighbours think??!!  Well I can tell you now I’d be telling the neighbours to mind their own business!  Fact is…no one cared, that expectation was only in MY head…not the neighbours.  So if you have similar thoughts of mothering expectations…give your head a shake and tell the thoughts to head to the bus station and catch the express out of town!

Take a little time out for yourself

Relax…breathe…repeat

Learn from others what works and give it a try

Join a mother group that deals with coping

Pre plan a break in the day just for it, it doesn’t need to be long, even 5-10 minutes to collect yourself will help.

Turn up some tunes and dance around the house with your kids, you’ll all laugh and have fun, and if you are lucky it will tire them out!

And remember you are ok and will get through the bad days.  A new day is just a sleep away.

Life Experience Wisdom

So dodge that life lemon and let go of the perfect mother myth for your own mental health.

Don’t ever wish their youth away. They will grow up soon enough and you will wonder where the time went.

Believe me I know.

That’s it for today’s chat, enjoy your day to the fullest all you wonderfully imperfect Mothers!

Cheers til next time!

Grace

My Motto

When life throws baseball size lemons at you, that smack you upside the head, stomp on those damn things and make yourself a cocktail!