Understanding Mom Guilt
Motherhood brings countless challenges. There’s no doubt that being a mother is hard work, and you are always learning as you go. It isn’t easy to raise a child and juggle all of the responsibilities that come with it. Yet many mothers who are doing their best still struggle with relentless guilt. This is so common that there’s even a phrase to sum it up: “mom guilt.”
If you’re a mother, you’re probably familiar with the feeling. Even when your household is running smoothly, you might feel guilty for not finding time to do even more. Here’s why mom guilt is so common, and why mothers deserve to relax and find acceptance.
Before you dive in, remember that our professionals are always here to help
Unrealistic Expectations
It can be impossible to reach the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers today. If you spend time on social media, you might feel the pressure to ensure that every moment in your household is a Kodak moment. If something goes wrong, you may catch yourself wondering if other moms even have these problems, or if you’re alone in your struggles. The truth is that every parent makes mistakes. Yet mothers are often judged harshly or shamed if they open up about these mistakes.
Competing Expectations
Every mom is aware of the countless expectations placed on mothers these days. Simultaneously, she realizes that many of these expectations are actually contradictory. You’re somehow expected to be ambitious in your career field while being the ideal housewife. You need to “have it all,” all at the same time. Yet if you can’t keep up, you worry that you’re falling behind other women who are managing even longer to-do lists. The truth is that every mother must make important decisions about how she spends her time and raises her children based on her own personal situation, and fulfilling contradictory expectations is essentially impossible
Advice From All Directions
When you become a mother, it can suddenly feel like everyone wants to tell you what to do. They might have opinions on everything from your child’s sleeping arrangements to how you feed your child to whether or not you should return to work at a certain time. You know that you can’t follow all of this advice at once, yet you might feel guilty that you can’t do what everyone expects of you.
Pressure From Other Moms
If you’ve recently become a mom, you’ve probably turned to your other friends with children for advice and support. You might call them when you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask them to come over and help you out at times, or go to them with your burning questions when you feel unsure about parenting. But sometimes, even your most well-meaning friends might come across as though they’re pressuring you into making a certain choice. Facing pressure from other moms might make you feel guilty that you can’t live up to their standards.
Fear and Anxiety
Motherhood can be a beautiful experience – but every mother also experiences fear and anxiety. You might be anxious about the state of the world and feel guilty about the problems your child might face one day. You may worry that you’re making a parenting choice now that you’ll come to regret in the future. But at the end of the day, all you can do is make the best decisions for your family based on the resources, information, time, and support that is available to you. Mothers do not have to be perfect—love is the foundation that children need.
Are you struggling to cope with mom guilt? Talking to a therapist can help. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.
LunaJoy services are available in Florida, Georgia, California, Illinois, Alaska, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Connect with us in Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Atlanta, Athens, Macon, Alpharetta, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Minneapolis, Nebraska, Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue.
