Motherhood. It’s one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs of all time. Wouldn’t you agree? From the tantrums to the laughing fits, from the acts of rebellion to the moments that fill you with pride. From the best to the worst, there truly is no comparison!
But have you ever felt like sometimes you’re just not doing ‘enough’? And the reason I say enough like that is because it really is a relative term. What is enough to one person’s mind may not be enough to another. But somehow we all feel like we’re not doing enough.
Somehow I just know that statement is true. I know that mothers out there everywhere can feel like as hard as they try, it’s not as good as we want it to be. But I also just know that statement is not true in a sense. Meaning that even though we feel like we’re not doing good enough, we are.
To show you what I mean, I’ve rounded up a few Mommas worst and best moments. What they feel has been their own best and worst moment as a parent. And I’m willing to bet they aren’t the only ones who feel the way they feel!
Momma #1
One Momma’s worst moment of motherhood is the endless, sleepless nights. As she puts it, “Holy moly, not sleeping for a good 3 years is extremely hard haha!” Can you relate? Do you know what it’s like to give up something that all humans need on the most fundamental level? To give up something that we all know helps us physically, mentally, and emotionally?
If you do, then you are an amazing Momma! That’s how I see it. Even in your ‘worst’ moments, you are still an incredible human being doing incredible things for your Little! But what about your ‘best’ moment? Do you think something that could be the best moment for another Momma could be the best for you?
This same Momma also said that her best moment of motherhood is feeling her kiddos just wrap their tiny little bodies around her and give her the biggest hugs. As she puts it, “I can just feel their unconditional love for me. Makes me emotional just thinking about it!” Can you relate at all?
Momma #2
Another Momma’s worst moment of motherhood is second guessing herself. As she puts it, “I know inside me what’s right for my kids but my mom tells me all the things she did different and I see what my friends are doing different and I start to question myself.” I know for a fact this Momma is not the only one that feels this way!
And as before, even when you’re second guessing yourself, it doesn’t make you any less great of a Momma! It could arguably make you even better of a Momma because you are only trying to do the best for your Little even if you might not know what it is at the time. And who really knows the right thing at the right time?
This same Momma also said her best moment of motherhood is seeing that little baby’s face for the first time. As she puts it, “With each one of my kids, I couldn’t wait to see that little miracle for the first time. Their facial gestures, their sounds, everything about them mesmerized me!” Sound familiar?
Momma #3
Another Momma’s worst moment of motherhood is two-fold. One being all the different advice others give that helped their Little, and the other being her Littles not being able to tell her what’s wrong with them. As she puts it, “Because at the end of the day allll babies are different…and just the fact of them not being able to tell you what’s hurting them is the worst feeling in the world.”
I know the feeling of wanting to help and not knowing how to make anything better. It sucks! And I have a gut feeling this Momma can’t be the only one who feels this way, am I right? But even in the midst of having a worst moment of motherhood, this same Momma knows how to look on the bright side to find the best moment of motherhood!
This same Momma also said her best moment of motherhood is watching them grow into their own personalities. As she puts it, “Knowing I created that is just the most awesome feeling ever.” I completely agree! Knowing that I could’ve had anything to do with the amazing person my Little turned into makes me light up just thinking about it!
Momma #4
One Momma in particular was beyond incredible to elaborate into detail in her own words exactly how she feels and it is beautiful. As she puts it, “There have been tough times, but I wouldn’t say I have had any worst times. At the beginning it was really tough when we would be at a family event or get together and I would have to take my baby to a private room to feed her. Although I didn’t have to ‘cover up’, she preferred the quiet place and I did too. I always felt like I was missing out and secluded. Luckily, that didn’t have to go on for too long of a time.”
“The next hard part was not being able to work for so long. She wouldn’t take a bottle anymore and we tried everything, so I had to be home to nurse her. I loved being home, but the hard part was the lack of income for a year as there are many challenges from that. Everyone mentions how expensive a baby is. We knew this and were prepared for the cost of diapers and food, however we didn’t think about the lack of income.”
On the other hand, she says, “In general, the best part of motherhood is the joy and love that you feel. You truly don’t know how much you can love someone, until you have your own child. Each new milestone is the most exciting thing to happen to you. It’s the greatest watching her personality grow. She plays, jokes, and learns. I love watching her learn and take things in! It’s all such a miracle and I love having the front seat to love and watch her grow.”
Yin And Yang
I don’t know about you, but I’m crying from these responses! No matter how bad your worst days as a Momma may seem, you’re still there for your Littles doing the best you know how to do. And no matter how many bad moments or even days there are, there are still those golden moments. Plus, I’m sure at the end of the day, you wouldn’t trade in any of the moments, good or bad.
If you feel comfortable talking about your best and worst moment of motherhood, please share in the comments below! You never know, you could be the one who makes another Momma feel more comfortable in her own skin! And if you’re looking for more ways to work on anxiety in general, check out ETM’s blog here.
Thank you so very much for being a part of ETM’s community of Mommas! I encourage you to join discussions, interact with Mommas alike, and be unapologetically yourself! Until next time, I hope I’m able to help make your life as simple as could be. (:
With all my love, Brandolyn – Earth to Momma