I am sorry that this is your experience of being a Mum. I’d love to know more about why you think this. You might be able to understand this better yourself by asking yourself these questions.
- Who are you comparing yourself to?
- Is it the practical elements of family life or the emotional development of your child that concerns you?
- What is it about your behaviour and or thoughts that lets you know that you are terrible?
I know that answering these won’t feel great, but in order to shift what doesn’t feel good, we have to understand it.
My guess is that there’s a whole narrative in your mind about you not being good enough. Unfortunately we are dealt with a predisposition to parenting in a certain way based on our unwittingly inherited parenting default mode and perhaps this doesn’t fit with who you’d like to be.
Perhaps there are parts of your parenting that would be more helpful if they changed. But I want you to know this; if you are being the parent you don’t want to be, it’s because you are overwhelmed. If a friend called you and shared the same experiences with you as you are having, what would you say to them? I can imagine you’d be kind, supportive, gentle and offer practical support.
If so, this is what you need to create for yourself. I know that our brains aren’t wired to tell us nice things when we are sinking. But this is what you need.
Is there a friend you can turn to? Can you pay someone to mind the kids and get a break? Can you seek the emotional and practical support to create the changes you’d like to establish within your life?
There is no greater initiation in life than that of motherhood. Those little people in front of you mirroring back to you all the parts of yourself that you find the hardest. I want you to know that you are not alone and every parent feels and experiences this. But remember that your child doesn’t need you to be perfect, just connected to what’s going on for you and able to share delight with your child in their life.
If anything in this blog resonates with you and you’d like support to create change, you’re welcome to book a free call with Bethan here to explore your support options. Make sure you download your free 5 Steps to Calmer Parenting. If you’re looking for immediate parenting support, you can start your free 7 day trial in the Calm Parenting Club where you’ll find the answers to your parenting problems and be supported to become the parent and person’ you’d like to be.
