I just want you to know that you are good.
You are good if you had an epidural.
You are good if you went all natural.
You looked super great at the hospital having your baby
and you looked super great having your baby at home.
You are pretty fabulous if you gave birth yourself
and you are just as fabulous if you stood by waiting for a sweet child to be placed in your arms by way of adoption.
You are pretty fabulous if you gave birth yourself
and you are just as fabulous if you stood by waiting for a sweet child to be placed in your arms by way of adoption.
You are great if you use disposable diapers
and you are great if you have made the choice to use cloth diapers.
You are super grand when you make your own baby food
and you are super grand when you buy it pre-made at the grocery store.
I think you are inspiring if you post one hundred pictures of your kids to instagram every day
and I think you are just as inspiring if you choose to keep those memories for yourself.
I am amazed by families that enroll their children in loads of extracurricular activities
and I am just as amazed at those that don't.
I am equally impressed with mothers that live by a strict schedule
and those that follow the impulses of their children.
I am really excited for those that are have 20 children
and those that find that 1 is enough.
I am happy for you that your child slept 9 hours through the night
and I'm happy for you if he/she only slept 9 minutes because that means you got to have snuggles all night long.
What I'm trying to say here
is that I think that the fact that you are even attempting this whole
motherhood/fatherhood/parenthood
thing is pretty fantastic
and I think that you should feel pretty great about all the choices you make for your family.
Because, remember, they are YOUR family.
So, stop reading the
blogs,
posts,
statuses
that make you feel that what you are doing isn't
good enough,
cool enough,
or in the best interest of your child.
You will do what is best for your child
and that lady at the end of that other blog that you read is going to do what is best for their child.
So own it
and stop comparing yourself.
And if you are one of those people that like to tell people what is best for everyone...
knock it off.
this is lovely, dear girl. i always am feeling so inadequate, and then some feel the need to demean the way our son came to us because, 'well you didn't have to go through labor!' or 'you didn't have to have sleepless night!' blah blah blah.
ReplyDeletei'm taking your advice. :) you are magnificent.
I was going to skip past this post because, well, it was titled, "Dear Moms" ... And not even being married, motherhood is not in the cards. :) I just wanted to say this post needed to be said more than anything! As a non-mother, I find myself sorrowful for the "standards" people inadvertently {or intentionally} put out there of what a good mom is or should be. The fact is: IT IS HARD. I know that without having even done it. There should be oh-so much praise for everyone doing it and so much less criticism. Good job, mama of Celine. She will be proud. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. As a mother I compare myself to other mothers. This is what I needed to hear today. I am good and just like everyone else I am doing the best I can and trying to do what I believe is best for my children.
ReplyDeleteI was just linked to this post via facebook and i love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love the message, and as I look at your sidebar and see the Book of Mormon - I am reminded that your message resounds so perfectly with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Love one another, right? I'm grateful when I see moms supporting other moms instead of tearing them down. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJust what I needed to hear today! Thank you for saying it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. So true!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful, thank you for this!
ReplyDelete