A Mother's Guilt

By Brenda Hyde

I have found that loving moms all have something in common: mother's guilt. It starts when we find out we are carrying a new life inside of our bodies.

We start to hear this little voice "Oh, you shouldn't have ate that second candy bar. Hmmm... you aren't going to drink that second cup of coffee are you?".

This little voice stays with us for the rest of our lives, and yes, sometimes I think we let ourselves get overwhelmed. We question whether we are good mothers.

We have all had those "bad Mom" days when we have missed a diaper change, served cereal for lunch because we forgot to buy peanut butter or accused the wrong child of making a mess.

I know as Moms, we also beat ourselves up if we misdiagnose an illness or an injury. In our minds we must have the knowledge and patience of a doctor, a therapist, a teacher and a saint.

Let's all take a deep breath, and be honest about this. We cannot live up to this standard we have set for ourselves. We will never be perfect!

I have learned something else very interesting over the years. Moms that aren't doing a good job don't worry about it. I know we don't like to talk about this, but I have met these women. They buy gifts for friends instead of a coat for their child. They don't wake up to get their kids ready for school and the kids are on their own the majority of the time.. Do you see what I am getting at?

Good moms worry they are bad moms, when in reality the bad moms don't even think twice about it! Let's give ourselves a break today. We are women who aren't perfect, but we are loving, nurturing moms. No, you can't say "but..." or "except when I..." Say it with me "I am a great Mom!".

About the Author:

Brenda Hyde is a work at home Mom of three, a freelance writer and editor. For more old fashioned recipes,crafts and free family newsletters visit http://oldfashionedholidays.com or http://seedsofknowledge.com.