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Being a mom can be amazing and rewarding, but it’s also really tough and comes with plenty of challenges. Moms are under a lot of pressure to do their job perfectly, even if it’s only self-inflicted. Add in some mom guilt, critical comments and a little mom-shaming and a mom’s mental health really takes a hit. And if mom’s not happy or feels burned out, that only makes parenting harder.
That’s why making sure you’re okay is crucial, but being happy is easier said than done. So where do you start? Letting go of these things can help you be a happier mom.
- Comparing - It only causes doubt about your own parenting and it’s the source of a lot of that pressure moms feel.
- “Pinterest-perfect” - We’ve all seen the moms who throw the best parties, send in the best class treats and make everything Instagram-worthy. If that’s your thing, good for you, but if it’s not, just remember that no one is perfect, no matter what their social media would have you believe.
- The past - Stop beating yourself up for mistakes and errors of judgment you’ve made as a mom. It’s not helping you in the present and can lead to the dreaded mom guilt.
- Yelling - We didn’t say letting go of these things would be easy and yelling is a tough one. We all do it sometimes and no one feels good after it happens, so try taking a sec before reacting and maybe you’ll find it helps you yell less.
- Meal time fights - Sure, we want our kids to eat the healthy food we make, but is it worth the battle? Sometimes it’s not and we need to remember they’ll eat when they’re hungry, so wrap dinner up and feed it to them when they are.
- Guilt - Another tough one to give up, but we’ll be so much better off without guilt. The quicker we accept that what others think of us doesn’t matter and let go of the expectations, the sooner we’ll feel happier.
- Being the hero - Moms are great at making sure everyone else has everything they need, but sometimes forget about themselves. And that’s not helping mom’s mental health or well-being. No one’s saying moms have to put themselves first every time, but at least every once in a while.
Source: Moms.com