Touching and heartbreaking. Uplifting and destructive. Pure love and pure disappointment. Parenting is perhaps one of life’s greatest challenges. From birth to college graduation, there isn’t a day that goes by when you don’t learn something new about them, about yourself, and what it means to love unconditionally. But despite the high achievements that come from walking the path of motherhood, there are bound to be unpredictable bumps along the way that can make you doubt everything.
Even so, if there’s one common theme in the world of parenting, it’s that a lot of such experiences – be it a wobbly 3 a.m. or the first day of school – are really common. But don’t just take our word for it. We spoke to 50 women about their experiences of motherhood (read: actual superheroes) and the biggest lessons they discovered along the way, and you may just find yourself nodding along. every lesson…
- Learn to accept the bad days and not hold on to them. Every mother has them.
- You will have to say goodbye to your old self for a while.
- It’s the loneliest job in the world (sometimes).
- It’s important to admit mistakes when talking to your child.
- Make every moment memorable- my son died last year and now I am sitting with my living daughter in my arms.
- There is no room for spontaneity anymore.
- It may not come as naturally as you imagine, and that’s okay. Seek help, learn as you go.
- Lower your expectations.
- The decisions you feel are best made by your instincts. No one knows your child like you.
- Everyone is trying their best.
- You won’t have to be the mother you think you are, and that’s okay.
- Everything is not going to be perfect, no matter how many books you read.
- You will never again be the center of your universe.
- Stop romantic motherhood. I’m not perfect and neither are my kids.
- All the clichés are true.
- You don’t lose yourself, you become someone else – a mother.
- Appreciate the people who show up for you.
- You’ll probably feel like you’re sick every day by your standards.
- Babies are not robots, nor are they the ones who work on your instincts and try to relax.
- They teach you more than you will teach them.
- There is no such thing as a perfect mother, trying to be one isn’t good for anyone.
- Always follow your instincts and ignore the noise.
- You will grow more than you ever imagined possible. Enjoy it.
- No one tells you how hard it is for dads.
- There’s so much to love about in all those little, intimate moments.
- Asking for help is never a sign of failure. It really takes a village.
- Your emotional and physical health is one of the most important factors in how you parent, how you engage, how you respond to difficulties and your current motherhood. It’s exhausting, all-consuming, beautiful, and chaotic and it’s important that you refill your self-care mug. Also peace on perfect, always!
- It’s not a choice between just taking care of your baby or just yourself – you deserve care too.
- Do things one hour at a time.
- The power of a mother is beyond this world.
- Don’t forget to adjust the patience scale for your partner, family, and baby.
- That for a lot of people, the journey to becoming a mother is very difficult.
- My baby is coming and I’ve learned to do what’s best for me and feel right.
- Breastfeeding is great, but the feeling that your body is no longer your own can be very difficult to explain and very difficult to explain until you are in that situation.
- A little messy house is not a bad thing.
- Time goes by too quickly to worry about the little things. Play with them and stay in the moment as much as you can!
- It’s okay not to know everything.
- Some friendships won’t survive the journey of motherhood.
- I have to let go of the things I can’t control.
- I’m not as patient as I thought, and my mom’s guilt sucks.
- There is no love like it.
- Babies do things at their own pace, don’t worry if you’re not at the same stage as everyone else.
- Take it one step at a time and accept that everyone makes ‘mistakes’.
- Everything is a phase.
- Give them space.
- Praise is much more effective than punishment.
- There is no place for perfectionism in parenting.
- Flexibility is a super strength!
- True love finally makes sense.
- Women are *the*sh*t. Stage = Stage.
