You are not a bad mom if you stick a bottle in your baby’s mouth instead of your breast.
You are not a bad mom if you hate pretend play.
You are not a bad mom if you choose a trip to Target over family time.
You are not a bad mom if you lose your temper.
You are not a bad mom if you’ve wished away your child’s special need.
You are not a bad mom if you let them cry it out—as an infant or a teen.
You are not a bad mom if you’ve told your husband to back off because your children have given you too many touches for one day and you don’t need his.
You are not a bad mom if you say motherhood is incredibly hard and often unfulfilling.
The only way to become a bad mom is by believing you have to be good all of the time. The best mothers I know are the ones who flop, fail, pick themselves back up, and say sorry—all while those little eyes are watching.
So just show up, as is, and do whatever works best for your family without apology.
We don’t have to perform.
We don’t have to pretend.
To not be bad, we only have to be their perfectly imperfect parents.
To More Love,
Stephanie
