New Mommy Mantras
Motherhood brings about unconditional love, abundant joy and — let’s face it — total chaos. Read on for real moms’ mantras and mental notes-to-self that keep them focused on what matters (cue love and joy) in motherhood’s toughest moments. Repeat aloud as many times as necessary.
It's Okay to Be a Newbie
“When I was up with my son in the wee hours, trying to get him to sleep, I’d remind myself that I’d never been a mother and he’d never been a baby,” says Camesha Gosha, a mom of one in Los Angeles who blogs at Bibs and Baubles. “We’d just have to figure it out together!”
Messy Houses Happen
“As a mother of three, my life is sometimes hard and unpredictable, and sometimes my house is a disaster,” says Heather Buzbee, who lives with her family in St. George, Utah, and blogs at Secrets of Mom. “I find that my days are happier if I focus a little less on the things I need to do and a little more on spending time with my kids, who always know that they’re loved.”
Have a Moment, Not a Meltdown
“If I feel like I’m about to have a meltdown right along with my kids, I just freeze, imagine what in 10 minutes I might wish I could do over if I don’t change course, and then un-freeze,” says Casey Wiegand, a mom of two in Dallas, who blogs at The Weigands. “Ten minutes later, I’m always glad I took a moment to regroup.”
Nothing Ever Stays the Same
“My number one mantra for the first year of my son’s life was, ‘Nothing ever stays the same,’” says Cindy Brown, a mom of two in Hillsboro, Oregon who blogs at Being Mom Now. “He isn’t sleeping/eating/pooping? Don’t worry, nothing ever stays the same! In two days/weeks/months he will be sleeping/eating/pooping again… Unfortunately, it works for the good stuff too!”
I Will Survive
“Sleep deprivation was the hardest part of parenting for me,” says Julie Reed, a mom of three in Portland, Maine. “It made me feel like a completely different (ahem, crazy) person, with zero coping mechanisms. Reminding myself that countless others have survived this before me — and that I would, too — became a coping mechanism in itself. The good news is that my youngest is 3 now, I’m sleeping again, and, for the most part, I kept my cool through those tough sleepless nights.”
I'm Not Superwoman
“I’m Not Superwoman is the title of my blog, and I’ve learned to live by that line,” says Jennifer Bailey, a mom of four in Troutdale, Oregon. “It reminds me that I don’t have to be the best at everything, to pace myself, and to keep a sense of humor. When things get really crazy in our house — which they do often — I make it a point to just start laughing.”
Yes, I am Neurotic!
“Being neurotic makes us good moms,” says Katherine Brady, a pre- and post-natal Doula and mom to twin boys in Hutto, Texas. “Double, triple and quadruple-checking on the baby while she’s sleeping, packing a diaper bag that weighs twice as much as the baby and putting locks on the cabinets before she can even roll over: This is all totally normal, and a good sign that your protective instincts are working as they should. Yes, you are neurotic. Embrace it!”
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Motherhood and the Well Meaning Comments of Strangers