Letting Go Of Mom Guilt

These days with so many socia media networks, like Pinterest and Instagram, there seems to be so much pressure to be the “perfect” mom. While my husband works 12 hour (or more) work days, I find myself feeling guilty that maybe I’m not doing enough on the home front. I know I can’t be the only one experiencing this.

Whether you’re a stay at home mom or a working mom, we always feel like we could or should be doing more. More with our kids, more around the house…Well I’m here to stand with you and let go of that guilt! I will no longer compare myself to others and beat myself up for any “shortcomings” I feel I may have. Instead I will embrace the opportunity I’ve been given as a wife and mother and be proud of what I DO accomplish in a day!

Mom Guilt

I didn’t clean the house today.

My husband walks through the door to a pile of unfolded laundry on the couch and a living room that looks like Toys R Us threw up in it. Chances are I have already picked up around the house once (or five times) today, yet here it is, trashed yet again. Well guesss what…WE LIVE HERE. This is actually one that my husband always tells me I need to let go of the most. That if the dirty diapers are in the trash and there isn’t anything growing under the couch then we can call it a win!

The kids didn’t do anything educational today.

No flash cards, no workbooks…instead it was a day filled with cartoons and matchbox car races. Guess what? They’ll survive! My toddler doesn’t need to be “engaged” 24/7. Sometimes it’s better for him if I let his imagination take control. I’m no teacher, why pressure myself into feeling like I need to constantly give him learning activities? Which brings me to my next guilt…

Too much screen time.

Yes, my kid watched 2 straight hours of Super Why yesterday and is watching Trolls for the third time today. I’m always hearing about pediatricians recommending a limit on screen time. And I’ve been face to face with the moms who don’t believe in screen time at all. Whatever works for you right? Well for me, I tend to cave and allow more screen time than “recommended”. Then I may feel guilty for about a minute until I look around and see all of the things I’ve gotten done around the house! (Like tackling that pile of unfolded laundry)

We haven’t left the house all week.

We’ve been total hermits. No play dates, no trips to the park, heck I haven’t even gone grocery shopping. My toddler starts to get antsy at times like this.  Sometimes there’s so much to get done around the house that you don’t have the time or energy to get everyone out and about. Drop the guilt and make it up to them that weekend by getting out to do something fun.

I microwaved dinner.

Nope. Tonight I will not be making a fresh, homemade meal. Instead I will be microwaving some Ramen or ordering a pizza. I’ll admit I’ve written about the importance of a fresh, healthy meal and that is why I often feel guilty if I drop the ball. BUT is my child fed? Is he healthy? Did he eat 3 meals today plus snacks? Yes. Yes. And Yes. Then I have done my job. I’ll let go of the guilt and I’ll make a nice home cooked meal tomorrow if I’m feeling up to it.

I didn’t feel like playing today.

This one is the worst! “Mama play. Mama play?”, is what I’m hearing but all I’m thinking is that I really don’t want to be the fire truck again. I just want to sit and watch the morning news. I usually end up caving because I feel so guilty telling him “not right now”. But it’s okay to tell them “no” once in a while. I’m not saying don’t ever play with them or don’t take time out of the day to do so. I’m saying if you don’t want to play right that second then let them figure out how to play on their own. They will survive.

The Challenge

1. Celebrate your strengths.

Are the dishes dirty because you took time to play with your kids instead of washing them? Did you at least WASH the laundry, even if you didn’t take the time to fold it afterwards? Be proud of what you DID get done. Rejoice in the fact that you did SOMETHING right today.

2. Relax.

Running yourself ragged to be super mom won’t do ANYONE in your family any favors. Take time for yourself (even when you’re feeling like you don’t deserve it). Hitting the reset button can do wonders and maybe even give you the motivation you feel that you’ve been lacking.

3. Enjoy this opportunity.

Your kids won’t be little forever. If they want you to play instead of cleaning the house, then go for it. If they ask for frozen waffles and whipped cream for dinner because it’s a Monday then why not? Enjoy life without the pressure and guilt.

Let Go Of That Mom Guilt

Just let it go! Right here, right now. If you can confidently say that your kids are HEALTHY and HAPPY then you are doing SOMETHING right. Don’t let others, in life or on social media, set expectations for you. Be the best version of yourself that you can be. It all starts with letting go of that mom guilt.

Have you experienced mom guilt? What helps you let go of that guilt? Next check out our Mom’s Time Out ideas to reset and recharge for yourself AND your family!

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