Episode 6: Mom Guilt

Wrapping your entire identity in motherhood isn't good for you or your kids. So why do we still feel so bad when we make time to be our own person? Here’s a little excerpt from our discussion: Melissa: What does it mean to be a woman? To be an ambitious woman? To have hopes and dreams and goals in addition to loving being a mom?Brynn: Just being a mom does not fully satisfy me. I want to do things other than raising my child. And I feel terrible admitting that.Katie: Or is pursuing other things inversely related to the quality of my kids’ lives? Is every moment I spend on anything else somehow hurting them? And of course — your creative moments process things and help you, which can only make you better as a mom. Not just on the surface level of your kids seeing you do something creative, but if you can sort your brain out, you don’t blow up as much.Melissa: You don’t lose your temper and then feel guilty about it. I am 100% a better mom when I’m writing and have a creative project going — that’s how I process what I need to process.Katie: It lengthens the rope, so you’re not so short in the moments when you need a little extra patience.Leave Snack: Keep noticing the art-worthy moments in your day. And also, in the spirit of our mom guilt episode, spend a little time — journaling, talking to a friend, drawing, making a cartoon, whatever works for you — pondering this: What kind of experience do you want your child to have one day, if they choose to become a parent? What advice would you give them if they came to you with their own parental guilt? And then ask yourself: could I offer myself that same advice? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notquitelosingit.substack.com