The Mommy Truth

Have you ever watched another woman from afar and envied her composure while you tried to hide the fact that your socks didn’t match and you had not yet bathed that day? Have you ever read a blog written by a homeschooling, scratch baking, crafty mom of six and felt guilty because your children were currently eating breakfast pastries from a box while you were in danger of being buried under a mountain of dirty laundry? Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, “Everyone else has it together”? Well, brace yourself—we are about to uncover the Mommy Truth.

Your children do not care if there are still Cheerios under the table from yesterday’s breakfast. In fact, the toddler will happily eat them when you aren’t looking, and he’ll be just fine.

The world will not end if you stop sorting your laundry. Seriously—grab an arm load, toss it in the machine, and walk away. Sure, your new red dress might not need to go in with your husband’s white dress shirt, but common sense still applies. The days of obsessively separating “darks, lights, and towels” are over. Just wash them all and be done with it.

Your stress level will decrease greatly if you learn the freedom of saying, “Yes.” Say yes to letting the little one help with the dishes—even if it means water on the floor. Say yes to splashing in the rain puddles. Maybe even invite the kids to jump in with you. Say yes to discovering things in the backyard, even though you have a thousand other tasks waiting.

Comparison conquers contentment. Have you ever noticed that when you compare yourself to another mom, you always seem to come up with the short end of the stick? Often it’s because you’re being too hard on yourself and, quite likely, you don’t have an accurate view of that other mom. The simple answer? Be the very best mom you can be and avoid comparisons.

Here is the truth, ladies: No one has this thing figured out. We learn as we go, sharing what we learn with one another. We pray for strength, wisdom, energy—and even a short line at Starbucks. We have all yelled when we should have hugged, and we’ve all had to drag crying toddlers through the store amid disapproving looks from other adults. The next time you see a mom at her wits’ end, stop, offer her a smile, and share the Mommy Truth: You are not alone. We are all in this together. And that is the truth.

{Originally published in 2012}