“The daily to-do lists, the making of dinner, the taking out the trash, the taking care of the kids, the trying to take care of yourself, the trying to foster all the relationships (friends, family, kids, work) on top of your spouse.”
‘I’m going to be honest – marriage isn’t exciting.’: Woman encourages others to find joy in the mundane of marriage
‘You can do all the same things ‘so-and-so’ did and your child still may not achieve the same things.’: Special needs mom urges ‘go easy on yourself’
“I’m not saying don’t do it. I’m not saying to give up. I’m not saying don’t try. I’m saying it’s okay. It’s okay if you do it all and still fall short of the goal. I’m saying it’s not your fault.”
Dear Special Needs Parent: I May Not Be Who You Expected, But I’m Exactly Who I’m Supposed To Be
“People will tell you I’ll be ‘delayed,’ but by whose standards? I’ll get there in my own time, on my own terms. Life is to be enjoyed, not to be measured by what I can do and at what age I do it.”
‘Mom, you always make mistakes, don’t you?’ A grin spread across her face.’: Mom shares importance of accepting mistakes, giving up perfectionist parenting
“I thought, ‘Let her milk this.’ How often do we demonize small mistakes of children? Allow her to stand in her own power. Reverse the lens.”
‘He offered to take it off my list. ‘Oh,’ I said. I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t grateful.’: Tired mom talks difficulty of shifting ‘mental load,’ despite husband’s willingness to help
“I didn’t ask, he offered. His intentions were so pure. But the task isn’t the mental load at all.”
‘I would be doing you a huge disservice to let you move forward.’ I felt like my whole body was numb.’: After tumultuous infertility journey, mom welcomes twins, daughter
“The things women will do to their bodies when they desire a child are truly remarkable. The love and sacrifice of a mother, for many, begins way before a baby is brought into this world.”
How To Make The Most Of Kid-Free Time As A New Mom
“Don’t let separation anxiety, mom guilt, or pressure to perform ruin your kid-free time!”
‘It’s hard work! There will be days you scream, yell, threaten and ask, ‘Is this even worth it?’: Mom talks about conscious parenting, ‘Discipline and gentleness can coexist’
“The greatest way to teach your children how to be compassionate, loving, kind, and gracious is to SHOW them how.”
‘You don’t have to look at your life through someone else’s hardship-lens. Your feelings are valid.’: Mom shares importance of accepting emotions, ‘It’s OK to be sad’
“People tell you to push away your sadness. To think of everything you’re grateful for. And maybe that fixes things on some days. But other days, it won’t touch the despair.”
Just Because I Complain Doesn’t Mean I’m Not A Grateful Parent
“I can be grateful to watch my kids giggle while making a mess at the dinner table AND wish I could occasionally eat one meal alone. I can appreciate being able to nurse my baby AND complain I never get to leave the house for more than two hours at a time.”