I felt the need to write this post after speaking to a few friends in recent months. It seems like mothers have so much on their plate sometimes that they feel overwhelmed and alone. I want to set the record straight. There is no such thing as the perfect mother. We ALL make mistakes. It's completely NORMAL to feel inadequate and depressed at times. It's also okay to cry. I think crying can be very therapeutic. It's not a good idea to keep feelings bottled up because sooner or later, they will explode out! Acknowledge your feelings and share them with those closest to you.
I'm not a psychologist or psychiatrist, but I've dealt enough with them to know that most of the time what people need is a listening ear. That is the best therapy in the world. I am blessed to have my mother and my bestest friends who I can call and share those feelings with. They don't judge me and they listen without feeling like they have to have a solution. Most of the time there is no solution. The problems I face have been around since the beginning of time and I know that I will one day look back and realize they were not as critical as I thought. I can already see things getting easier in areas I thought would never improve. Of course, that doesn't mean I don't have days I literally cry myself to sleep. However, it helps knowing how far we've come.
Please know that in the grand scheme of things what's important is what you have taught your children. They have their free agency to choose for themselves the path their lives take. It's our role to provide them with options. It's our duty to love them unconditionally and to guide them. Beyond that, it's not important what others think or if your child doesn't fit that "mold" that society has created. Don't give up on yourself or your children. Cry a little and laugh a little...that's what will keep you sane.
