Motherhood I have found is a new search for self journey. Maybe for some it was easy to fall into this role called mother, and I often wonder do we all go through a rediscovery of who we are in this role of combining who we were to the mom we become. In today's 21st century world of motherhood we also have this interesting thing called the internet and along with it social media that contributes to the perceptions and expectations we place on the idea of motherhood and our own capabilities.
Much like adolescents do to try to fit in, I think at first I got caught up in how everyone else was doing things and thinking I needed to do this or do that in order to be a "better" mom. But at some point I came to realize the entrapment that social media and the internet can be. I love social media; it has allowed me to maintain and build so many relationships. However, I also came to realize how easily it could steal our happiness and sense of self if we let it. But we don't have to let it. We have to understand we're all different. We're different people, we have different children, we live different lives, we have different interests, different experiences, and different journeys. There is no better way; just a different way.
I learned this slowly as I made my way through the first five years of motherhood. Obviously I'm still learning and have so much more to learn, but I didn't want to reject social media. I wanted it to be a part of my life because again it's how I maintain so many distant relationships, but I also didn't want it to make me doubt my capabilities and worth as a mother. I also didn't want to change the way I was doing things because this website or post put down and criticized mothers and parents for doing things this way or that way. I think we're all guilty of doing things we shouldn't, but I doubt any of us really need to read it on the internet to know it. Mothers are pretty good at carry enough guilt as it is.
Even though sometimes I may offer advice or suggestions either on here or in person believe me you are welcome to take it or leave it. My feelings won't be hurt any because I came to understand it's not criticism, it's not advice, it's not tips, and it's not a sense of competition that us mothers need but just support. Plain and simple support. Again there is no better way; just a different way. I think when we understand this is when we not only start to support one another but also when we allow ourselves less guilt because we've accepted ourselves for the mother we are to our children.
For the most part that is what all these reflections of motherhood and even my book, Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas became about, finding our happiness and contentment in this role of mother admist the social media world of today and the expectations that are placed on us from ourselves and others.
Below are links to all the reflection of motherhood posts I have written over the past two years. Some are personal but many other moms can relate to as well. Or you can find the best ones expanded in my book in which you can purchase the ebook for the Amazon Kindle or Barnes and Noble Nook for $5 or less.
The Monster of Mommy Guilt
A Mother's Worst Fear
Needing Time to be Mommy
A Fearful World for Our Children
Just Want to be Mommy Today
The Fighting Spirit
Loving two Different Children
A Parent's Gift
Can Today's Mom "have it all"?
The Choices of Today's Mom
The Magic of Childhood Summer Memories
My Letter to God
Walking in these Shoes is HARD
The Things about Motherhood that Make me Cry
Some Days I Hate You
Roots and Wings
Thankful for Great Grandparents
The Childhood Things I Will Miss
Give a Childhood Worth Remembering
The Working Verse Stay at Home Mom Debate
And We Remember It's a Beautiful Life
Fostering a Love for the Arts
The Naysayers
Time is What Makes Great Parents
The College Expense Debate
Mother to Mother: My Letter to You
The Syrupy Sweetness and Sticky Mess of Parenthood
The Attack on Today's Parent
Hey, Coach, You Missed the Call
A Mother to her Daughters
Finding that Drive
Chasing Rainbows and Living in Reality
Wife vs Mother
Importance of Women in My Life
The Conductor Needs Control of her Train
The Princesses and their Prince
Highs and Lows: There's a Balance Somewhere
I Can Do it Myself
Family: There is No Other Way to Us
The Stories our Lives Write
To the Hater I Thank You
To be a Child
Mom's Competitor
My 5 Rules for Raising Independent, Nonentitled Children
It's the Little Moments that Make Life Big
The Happiness in Simplicity
The Push to be the Girl on Fire
A Little Girl Lesson to Women
The Dad that Does More than Show up
Letting Supermom Go
The Better Life
The Selfish vs the Selfless Mother
Mother's Day vs Every Day
The Idea of Happy
The Fun We Shall have Past Bedtime
For the Love of a Game
I'm Going to Hold you Through the Difficult
Nature
What Defines the Magic of Childhood
You Walk that Way, Superwoman, and I'll Walk this Way
Trying to teach Myself some Patience
Value of Self Awareness
Simple
The Fears and Possibilities of Change
You Can't Score if You Never Swing
Disappointment over the Gender of your Baby
Perfect is Overrated
A Mother Through a Child's Eyes
Unfortunate Serious Talks for Kindergarten
How do you Let them Go?
Existing or Living?
Happily Ever After...But a Moment
True Love of a Sister
Where's the Beauty in Perfection?
Much like adolescents do to try to fit in, I think at first I got caught up in how everyone else was doing things and thinking I needed to do this or do that in order to be a "better" mom. But at some point I came to realize the entrapment that social media and the internet can be. I love social media; it has allowed me to maintain and build so many relationships. However, I also came to realize how easily it could steal our happiness and sense of self if we let it. But we don't have to let it. We have to understand we're all different. We're different people, we have different children, we live different lives, we have different interests, different experiences, and different journeys. There is no better way; just a different way.
I learned this slowly as I made my way through the first five years of motherhood. Obviously I'm still learning and have so much more to learn, but I didn't want to reject social media. I wanted it to be a part of my life because again it's how I maintain so many distant relationships, but I also didn't want it to make me doubt my capabilities and worth as a mother. I also didn't want to change the way I was doing things because this website or post put down and criticized mothers and parents for doing things this way or that way. I think we're all guilty of doing things we shouldn't, but I doubt any of us really need to read it on the internet to know it. Mothers are pretty good at carry enough guilt as it is.
Even though sometimes I may offer advice or suggestions either on here or in person believe me you are welcome to take it or leave it. My feelings won't be hurt any because I came to understand it's not criticism, it's not advice, it's not tips, and it's not a sense of competition that us mothers need but just support. Plain and simple support. Again there is no better way; just a different way. I think when we understand this is when we not only start to support one another but also when we allow ourselves less guilt because we've accepted ourselves for the mother we are to our children.
For the most part that is what all these reflections of motherhood and even my book, Moms, Monsters, Media & Margaritas became about, finding our happiness and contentment in this role of mother admist the social media world of today and the expectations that are placed on us from ourselves and others.
Below are links to all the reflection of motherhood posts I have written over the past two years. Some are personal but many other moms can relate to as well. Or you can find the best ones expanded in my book in which you can purchase the ebook for the Amazon Kindle or Barnes and Noble Nook for $5 or less.
The Monster of Mommy Guilt
A Mother's Worst Fear
Needing Time to be Mommy
A Fearful World for Our Children
Just Want to be Mommy Today
The Fighting Spirit
Loving two Different Children
A Parent's Gift
Can Today's Mom "have it all"?
The Choices of Today's Mom
The Magic of Childhood Summer Memories
My Letter to God
Walking in these Shoes is HARD
The Things about Motherhood that Make me Cry
Some Days I Hate You
Roots and Wings
Thankful for Great Grandparents
The Childhood Things I Will Miss
Give a Childhood Worth Remembering
The Working Verse Stay at Home Mom Debate
And We Remember It's a Beautiful Life
Fostering a Love for the Arts
The Naysayers
Time is What Makes Great Parents
The College Expense Debate
Mother to Mother: My Letter to You
The Syrupy Sweetness and Sticky Mess of Parenthood
The Attack on Today's Parent
Hey, Coach, You Missed the Call
A Mother to her Daughters
Finding that Drive
Chasing Rainbows and Living in Reality
Wife vs Mother
Importance of Women in My Life
The Conductor Needs Control of her Train
The Princesses and their Prince
Highs and Lows: There's a Balance Somewhere
I Can Do it Myself
Family: There is No Other Way to Us
The Stories our Lives Write
To the Hater I Thank You
To be a Child
Mom's Competitor
My 5 Rules for Raising Independent, Nonentitled Children
It's the Little Moments that Make Life Big
The Happiness in Simplicity
The Push to be the Girl on Fire
A Little Girl Lesson to Women
The Dad that Does More than Show up
Letting Supermom Go
The Better Life
The Selfish vs the Selfless Mother
Mother's Day vs Every Day
The Idea of Happy
The Fun We Shall have Past Bedtime
For the Love of a Game
I'm Going to Hold you Through the Difficult
Nature
What Defines the Magic of Childhood
You Walk that Way, Superwoman, and I'll Walk this Way
Trying to teach Myself some Patience
Value of Self Awareness
Simple
The Fears and Possibilities of Change
You Can't Score if You Never Swing
Disappointment over the Gender of your Baby
Perfect is Overrated
A Mother Through a Child's Eyes
Unfortunate Serious Talks for Kindergarten
How do you Let them Go?
Existing or Living?
Happily Ever After...But a Moment
True Love of a Sister
Where's the Beauty in Perfection?
There are so many lessons in motherhood, as you've shared here Angela.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing (and for joining my #Blirthdaybash). I'm so thankful you took the time to celebrate with me.
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo