Mommy Guilt

If you're a mom, I'm certain you've felt it.  

It creeps up on you when you're reading a blog, talking to other parents, or when you can't spend as much time with your kids as you want.

It makes you feel inadequate, incapable, insufficient.

It's called "Mommy Guilt".  

And who needs it?  Not this mom.

Last night, as I was feeding my 2-month-old daughter at 3:30 in the morning, I stumbled across an article about "bad" parenting practices.  It used phrases like "hinder brain development", "epidemic of anxiety and depression", and several other fear-striking words.

At first I felt sick about it.  I did almost all of the things that the article said not to do.  (I'm purposely not sharing what those are because I don't want you to feel the same guilt I did.)  Then I moved to anger.  Who are you to tell me how to parent my unique children?

But right now I am over the guilt.  I am over the anger.  Right now I want to encourage other mommies who have felt the same way as I have.

I talked to my own mom about this guilt we feel as parents.  "You will never feel like you have done it right, like you did enough for your children," she said.  Now you might think that downright freaked me out.  And maybe it did at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it gave me hope.  Do you want to know why?

Because I feel my mom did it right, that she did enough.  And she still does.

There is no "right way" to parent.  There are no perfect parents either.  Don't let "Mommy Guilt" keep you from enjoying the blessing of being a mom to the beautiful children God has given you.  :)

~Sarah~