Mummy Guilts

This is a "can you relate" post for camaraderie.

Do you have days where everything goes pear-shaped and you feel like the worst mummy in the world? You know the days (I hope) where the kids cry about everything, nag for TV (or something similar) all day, seem tired and unwell but are not sick, lose the plot in the late afternoon and hence end up in bed in a snivelling mess with an empty tummy.....etc etc.

And do you find yourself feeling guilty that perhaps you are doing something wrong or failing to do something right? But you feel like you are already giving every ounce of yourself so the thought of doing more or doing things differently just makes your head spin?

Do you have those days? How do you deal with them?

Yep, quite frequently! My girls have bad days all the time, and I have bad mummy moments - tonight I yelled at Mercedes for throwing baked beans on the floor (that she had helped herself to out of the fridge), even tho I know it wasn't an effective way of dealing with the situation.

I just work on the theory that as long as there are more good days than bad, and that I can admit when I'm wrong and be honest about it with the kids so that they learn that even mummies aren't perfect, then we're doing pretty well.

My Mum has always told me that you only have to be a pretty good Mum most of the time to be doing the best by your kids - no-one is perfect, and gee, if we let our kids think we're perfect they'll have massive complexes about trying to live up to our standards

I have plenty of those days where things don't seem to be going that great, or I could be handling things better, but have learned not to give myself the guilts. It doesn't do me any good and it certainly isn't benefiting the kids. I always apologise when I stuff up, and I think that's the best way to deal with it. Gotta own up to things, which sets a good example for them in turn. We're only human!

All-the-time! Especially lately. I feel like I give 110% of myself to finding things to do, taking them out, being a loving fun mummy, and then fitting in the cooking and cleaning etc etc. The kids are into everything at the moment and I get sick of always having to say no, and always having to tell them off. I just feel so exausted at the end of the day, and don't feel like I have achieved anything for all of my hard work. I could write a novel on this topic.

Usually if I don't feel I can cope I take the kids over to my Mum's even when she isn't there as she has a big back yard and the kids can run lose and do what they want.