Embracing Imperfections: A Guide for Parenting Without Fear
The fear of imperfect parenting hits close to home for many parents. Today, let’s thoughtfully explore a prevalent parenting concern- the fear of imperfections and mistakes adversely affecting our children. This article will explore the roots of this fear, its societal influences, and how parents can navigate the complexities of parenthood with warmth and understanding.
Cultivating Positive Parent-Child Relationships: Lessons from an Extraordinary Day
Today, I invite you to join me on a journey inspired by a magical snow day. Beyond the shimmering flakes lies a tale of unexpected revelations and the keys to unlocking a deeper, more fulfilling connection with your children. Brace yourself for a narrative that transcends the ordinary, offering insights that may just revolutionize your approach to parenting.
Why Routines Are Important For Mothers
“In general, routines can help with life changes as well. When having a strong foundation where you know how to manage your day to day, it prepares you for life altering events such as the COVID pandemic of the 2020s, by helping you remain grounded. Overall, routines bring less stress and more peace of mind.”
Single Mothers Finding Balance + Wellness
“Self care is not about luxurious treatments all the time. It is about taking the time to rejuvenate your mind and body from the stresses you endure daily. For the curious single moms, there is this preconceived notion that one must have an excessive amount of money and resources in order to take care of themselves. Self care can simply be having your child play in their room while you sit in your bed and go read a book for 10 minutes. Self care can also be partnering with other moms agreeing to watch each other’s kids so that each mom has the opportunity to relieve their stress. It is a matter of being attentive to what sparks joy in you.”
A Conversation about Birth with Dr. Nicole Rankins.
“So part of relieving that fear is knowing that you have a team of people around you who are on your side. And you can get that. Sometimes it may require you change and you may have to do a little bit of work to get there. But you can get that, it's just may be a challenge sometimes.”
Prioritizing Your Wellness to have BALANCE in your Motherhood
“It is never going to be perfect. What this does is leads you to continue to procrastinate because you're waiting for something that is unrealistic and unsustainable. Perfection is something we should never be shooting for in motherhood. Especially as working mothers - nothing is going to be perfect. But you know what it can be… it can be complete.”
“We Over Me”: How much work does my partnership require?
“Do the work. It’s work, yes, but nothing in our lives that has any value to us doesn't require work. Yeah. You didn't become Dr. Amber Thornton without work. You didn't become Cedric's wife and C3’s mom without work. You didn't become an entrepreneur without work. The podcasts haven't been successful without work. Any of the businesses or jobs we’ve had, any of the ladders we've climbed corporately and professionally or any other way, they all require a level of investment, a level of intentionality and that's what marriage requires.”
The Key to Balance in Motherhood is Having Bold Boundaries
“Learn to say NO. I notice it's a hard word. As working mothers, we have a tendency or a desire to please other people. And that leads us to neglect and dismiss the boundaries that we have set for ourselves. There's this implication that other people's needs, wants and desires are far more important than our own. And with that, we have to really start practicing what it means and what it feels like to say no to something.”
Redefining Balance in Motherhood: Its Easier Than You Think
“I don't want motherhood to be the end of our life. I don't want motherhood to be the end of our joy. I don't want motherhood to be the end of our wellness. I don't want motherhood to be the end of any of that. I've truly believed that we can experience motherhood and all the joys and all the challenges and still take care of ourselves, still prioritize our needs or desires.”
3 Steps For Ending Mom Guilt Now
“Yes, the guilt might be present, but the process of managing guilt is taking it with you, carrying it on along for the ride and do it anyway because over time, the guilt will fade into the background.”
Utilizing the Village Around Me
“I think that's the stigma in the Black community as the Black mom. Society puts it on us that we are required to do all the things and be a strong Black woman and I don't want to be a strong black woman. I'm 100% okay with not being too strong because sometimes it's okay to ask for help. We don't always have to be so strong.”
Breaking Out of The Boxes of Motherhood
“So all of myself - the working person, the black mom, the married woman; it was all of me in these five different women that I was talking to every week. And that was a turning point for me to know that I'm not alone. This is okay. These are totally normal and valid feelings. That was a huge fight for me.”
Living My Most Joyous Life
“There’s that saying like, ‘the days are long, but the years are short’… they're all long, and I want them all to be enjoyable. I don't think it's too much to ask that they are mostly enjoyable and recognize the ways in which I was in the way of enjoying my own time - because I was always thinking about what I could be getting down instead.”
Taking Motherhood One Day At A Time
“I know the load of motherhood is heavy, but you can carry that load. You are amazing. Take it one day at a time. Give yourself grace daily and just invest in your wellness.”
Learning to Take Time for Myself.
“I can't do everything. I can't be everything to everyone at the same moment. And it's okay! I don't have to feel like I have to do everything. It doesn't make me less of a good mom if I'm asking for help.”
Embracing The Change Around You
“Now that I'm sharing these responsibilities, and motherhood is something that I can take control of and define for myself, it has helped me get my needs met by my community and share the goals that I have for myself so that I can set bigger goals for me and for my kids.”
Asking for the Help You Need in Motherhood
“I feel like it just really showed me that you're not alone. There's a whole bunch of struggles that every mom faces, and there's a whole bunch of struggles that- even if you're the only one facing it right now- it doesn't mean more senior veteran moms haven’t been through before. I realized that even I’ve been through experiences that I can help someone else get through and vice versa for other moms.”
Becoming Intentional About the Life You Want: Marjorie Shavers
“I just think overall this there's something that changes when you have a kid. I didn't expect that your heart just wants everything for them. And it's this crushing feeling of making sure they’re okay and happy and being able to have hold space for that but also hold space for myself.”
Meet Cecily Moore, A Balanced Working Mama
“I was definitely drowning but just too stubborn to admit it and having the support of Balanced Working Mama not only forced me to deal with the depression, but also some of my negative thoughts that stemmed from the depression.”