Mommy Guilt Is A Thing.
As a mother myself, I know too well those pangs that pour in when circumstances upset my children’s applecart especially when they were little.
All moms are afflicted. New moms question their feelings when their baby cries relentlessly. Moms feel guilt at getting back to work. Of course, moms never want to miss a moment so that missed recital can wreak havoc on a mom’s heartstrings. Tears at daycare? Too much to handle. How about too much TV. Or screen time? The battle cry of every kid home from school, “There’s no food in the fridge.
Distraction. Phones. Tablets. Computers. Bills. Laundry. Housework.
Mommy Guilt is real. And your friends don’t help. One of my patients missed her son’s receipt of an academic award because of work.
When my patient turned up late to the event & learned of her son’s recognition, her friend another mother said, “not to worry, we were here for him. You can drive him to his therapy appointment because he’s going to need it.” Everyone laughed.
My patient was gutted & guilty. Anxious & upset, she questioned her maternal ability. She’d failed her child! MOMMY GUILT. Moms are typically nurturing & kind but tough on themselves & other moms. Her child was fine about it.(Surpised?)
Mom guilt affects new moms, single moms & working moms even more.
How do you deal with mommy guilt? Ditch a desire to be perfect. Do your best. Don’t be a Type “E” everything to everyone, everywhere. Simplify. Trust your intuition. Enlist help. Do takeout. Cereal is nourishing. Nourish your body & mind. Sleep. Pay attention to your relationship. Hug one another. Dopamine is released during a hug and you’ll need all the hugs you can get to deal with Mommy Guild.
One more thing. Support other moms.
Maureen McGrath is a blogger, speaker, author and host of the Sunday Night Health Show. https://globalnews.ca/bc/program/sunday-night-health-show
