I said this to one of my friends this week. Obviously, I was being at least partially facetious, since #1, I was chatting online instead of playing with my kids (a major problem for me, sadly) and #2, the full transcript of that moment is as follows:
I’m such a good mom
I just fed Rebecca a cheeto
Oddly enough, however, I really did feel like a good mom. Not for feeding Rebecca a cheeto (I’m not a fan myself, even though they are “guaranteed fresh” and “made with all natural oil,” as the package states), or for neglecting my kids, but for allowing myself to be an imperfect mother for a minute.
So much of the time, we mothers are quick to judge ourselves. Every time we don’t give our children what they want (even when we know it’s for the best) or aren’t 157% attentive to their needs, we feel as though we’re mean, bad, and ten kinds of terrible. If we don’t keep up on the latest trends—from Baby Gap to Baby Einstein, from Gerber brain-friendly organic finger foods to gerbera daisy hairclips to match every single outfit she owns—we’re bad mothers.
Speaking of hairclips, Rebecca wore one in her hair for the first time this month! Stinkin adorable.
So you know what? I’m going to let my baby have one cheeto. Odds are pretty low that either of our immortal souls hang in the balance, so I think I’m going to forgive myself for letting her consume 14 mg of sodium.
What have you learned to forgive yourself for? What do you struggle with forgiving yourself for? Do you consider yourself a good mother?