Between the standards of the world and the judgement of my toddlers it seems I am always a bad momma. Am I right? Lol.

I cook a healthy meal that my kids hate so they go to bed hungry. They watch TV *gasp* ALL DAY because I am losing my mind and I just need to clean the bathrooms (you know…toddler pee). They are doing some free play aka I am not watching them and they color on all the walls with lipsticks and 1 sharpie. I create a fun and interactive craft that they refuse to participate in leading to me crying at the kitchen table. The list is endless.

Can we judge less?

Why is it that you are either a Pinterest perfect mom or a total failure? I mean I know that that’s the scale I am working from. It is partially made up and its partially true. Our standards for ourselves are kind of out of control right now. We must be completely fit, while being a down to earth eat the burger kind of girl, while being an executive, while spending evenings home with your family, while volunteering for all the things and cooking all the meals and showing up to all the events and being present for everyone who walks into your path… AHHHHHHH!

I cannot be the only person losing my mind on this rat race of perfection.

Let’s face it…

It isn’t easy being all the things all the time, it is also not easy being none of the things none of the time. You know? Like one second I am okay with being a “lazy” mom who scrolls Instagram while my kids eat 19 granola bars and not the healthy ones while watching their third straight hour of TV. But then I get a piece of motivation and need to create the perfect home, meals, life, etc. It is exhausting. My poor husband is on this ride and never knows when its speeding up or slowing down.

So why do we care? Why do I care?

Honestly though I can’t come up with a reason other than I just don’t want to be judged. But when I strip that statement down it really is I am judging myself based on the Instagram or Facebook photos of someone else. I am looking at my worst and judging it to someone else’s highlight reel.

That is neither fair to me or fair to them. I don’t know their struggles and they don’t know mine. I (and you maybe) need to stop judging apples to oranges. They are simply different and both delicious, though one pairs way better with vodka than the other 😉

What to do?

Look at what you have done well, what you do well as a mom. What things have you and your children accomplished today? Some days it is literally keeping them alive, you did that. Check! Others you had a blissful day at the park with a healthy picnic lunch. Check! Both are equally important and deserve some praise.

Be kinder to yourself and genuinely appreciate all that you do for your family. Some days those tiny humans you must keep alive make you want to rip out both eyeballs just so you have something soft to throw at them. Lol. But we both know that when they finally get to sleep, you miss them a little. Take a deep breath and know that you just are not just good enough, but you are great! You are a great mom!