It feels like, in motherhood, you can either strive endlessly for Pinterest-worthy perfection or surrender to the dirty yoga pants. Life sure looks pretty in Mayfair, but I have yet to discover a filter for messy kitchens or temper tantrums.
We all have those good days where we’re kicking ass. When you wake up before your kids can let out a single “Mommy!” to exercise, catch up on news or get ahead of your inbox; when breakfast is wholesome and your kids actually eat it; and when everyone gets out the front door appropriately cleaned, dressed and provisioned for the day. Nailed it!
But despite hyper-curated social media feeds to the contrary, no one has these days all the time. Maybe you were up with a sick child all night, or you have a demanding project due at work, or Instacart jacked up your order (again), or you just CAN’T with today. All the dry shampoo & caffeine in the world can’t help you sometimes.
Authentic motherhood lies somewhere between this effort and surrender. You can strive to make your family’s life wonderful and still reserve the right to cry in your coffee when shit doesn’t go according to plan. (Because if parenthood teaches you anything, it’s that the universe thinks your plans are HILARIOUS.) You don’t have to choose between being a perfect mommy or a hot mess one. You do you.