Do you grapple with "mommy guilt?" You know, that nagging little voice in the back of your head that is never satisfied? That monkey on your back that damns you if you do and damns if you don't? Moms have an amazing capacity for guilt. If we make a nutritious, delicious meal for our family, we're beating ourselves up because we didn't get other work done. If we work late, we mentally whip ourselves for not playing with our kids more.
Listen girls, if you're a slave to your over-active conscience, let me tell you now: it's a lose-lose situation. Your inner taskmaster will never be satisfied. That's when you need to tell that little corporal to bugger off. If you burn a candle at both ends, you'll use it up four times as fast. Set goals, but don't always make them unattainable. I'm very guilt-prone. I know how it can plague. Guilt, to the point of scruples, has nearly driven me over the edge many times.
Please, learn to be nice to yourself. Don't count the things you didn't get done, count the things you did do. If you can't be nice to yourself for your sake, do it for your kids. Trust me--someday, you'll have to listen to your children agonize about what losers they are. It hurts. Like no one can convince you to be nice to yourself, you won't be able to convince them. And you'll think back and remember that it was you who taught them how to beat themselves up. So tell those voices I said to back off, huh? You're worth it.
Love, mar
P.S. (remember, I said there would be P.S.s) This goes for dads too. I should probably call it "parent guilt."
Listen girls, if you're a slave to your over-active conscience, let me tell you now: it's a lose-lose situation. Your inner taskmaster will never be satisfied. That's when you need to tell that little corporal to bugger off. If you burn a candle at both ends, you'll use it up four times as fast. Set goals, but don't always make them unattainable. I'm very guilt-prone. I know how it can plague. Guilt, to the point of scruples, has nearly driven me over the edge many times.
Please, learn to be nice to yourself. Don't count the things you didn't get done, count the things you did do. If you can't be nice to yourself for your sake, do it for your kids. Trust me--someday, you'll have to listen to your children agonize about what losers they are. It hurts. Like no one can convince you to be nice to yourself, you won't be able to convince them. And you'll think back and remember that it was you who taught them how to beat themselves up. So tell those voices I said to back off, huh? You're worth it.
Love, mar
P.S. (remember, I said there would be P.S.s) This goes for dads too. I should probably call it "parent guilt."
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