Can we all agree that we were all perfect parents before we actually became one?
I thought I knew exactly the type of mum I’d be. I had it alllll planned out. I thought being a good mum meant being self-sacrificing, bouncing back straight away, keeping the house immaculate, buying only organic vegetables, and never, ever taking a single minute for myself.
I thought the perfect home and the perfect routine would be the best thing for my child. No crumbs on the counter. No sign of life on the sofa. Just me, pouring every last drop of myself into her, putting myself absolutely last.
And meanwhile? I was drowning.
And then I felt guilty for drowning.
But then I realised:
The only guilt you feel is the guilt you create for yourself. No one else is putting that on you.
We convince ourselves we should be doing it all perfectly, and when we can’t, we punish ourselves for it. We feel guilty for wanting time to ourselves. For wanting to lose a bit of weight. For wanting to put on a nice outfit and have one quiet, uninterrupted minute.
But wanting those things doesn’t make you less of a mum. It makes you human.
Being kind to yourself, giving yourself space, letting yourself want things, that is not selfish. That is exactly what your child needs to see.
Here’s what I’ve changed my mind about.
Your baby doesn’t need a perfect martyr. Your baby needs a mum who is kind to herself.
When you look after yourself, when you stop holding yourself to an impossible standard, you show up better. Fuller. More present. And that is the best thing you can give her.








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