Let's Be Real - Mama Journeys - Episode 120 W/Cheryl Chiasson

Cheryl Chiasson is a mom of 3 boys with quite the story.  They took in a young man who had a TON of trauma and took him in. With her first two babies, she said she struggled with PPD and intrusive thoughts. She struggled and had no idea what she was struggling with because no one talked about it. Her biggest supporters were both men.  First, her husband and second, her father in law (crazy that it was two men!!!). She had the support but didn't ask for help and didn't accept the help because she thought she had to do it all herself. Her best mama moments come when she is now watching her boys be kind to other people and serve others as well as watching her son find happiness, love and when she danced with him at his wedding. How they treat others and go out into the world is both through nature and nurture and being proud of the job you have done as a mom is an important aspect of motherhood.  Her biggest regret is raising her voice but because of her childhood and living in a domestic violence situation as a child, she never wanted to have this situation in her own home. When she did raise her voice, she was hard on herself because of the trauma she anticipated she extended to her boys. She wishes she would have known that perfection should not be a goal, that it's ok not to be ok, to ask for help and accept it when offered.  Take the time to be with others besides your kids. You have to be a full person without them too. It's ok for their dad to be with them without you and it's ok to take some time for yourself.