There’s an ocean of literature about all manner of things relating to parenthood. There are pregnancy bibles, labour guidebooks and the ‘what to expect when expecting’ books aimed at providing antenatal support for the expectant mother. Then there’s an entire library of books on how to actually raise your child. There’s also an exploding market in books about what to feed your child. But there’s not a lot written about how to survive and thrive as a mother. You hear it’s tough, often tiring and sometimes tedious (sometimes?) but you can’t understand it until you’re living it. Here are my tips for surviving and thriving motherhood….
Adequate: the new “excellent” for mums
Twice in one day I heard the following comments from mums that are doing a great job looking after their families. “I am not the mother I thought I would be”, and “I feel like I am doing everything badly.”
My advice? “Lower your expectations.”
Whether you’re a stay-at-home-mother managing the infinite demands of family life, or a working mum juggling a professional life in addition to family responsibilities, the same sense of guilt pervades us all. We tend to feel that we could be doing things better – more books, less TV, more craft, less shouting at the kids, more nutritious meals, less sugar…. the list is endless.
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