Natural Mom Monday: Are YOU Mom Enough? Let the Competition Begin!

Let's face most of us are self-conscious about one aspect of our parenting skills or another. It comes with the territory of motherhood -- second guessing decisions, questioning if what you are doing is best for your kid, and an overall sense of feeling "not up to par".

A lot of the guilt we feel is not based on taking an inventory of our own skills as a mom. Instead, we look around to the moms who "have it all" and compare their lives to ours. No matter if you are uber wealthy, scraping together every penny you have, or somewhere in the middle-- every mom, at some point, glaces at the mom next to her and compares.

We can't help it. It's like there is something in us that turns mothering into a competition, instead of OUR own personal journey.

I've seen it, even in the "holistic mom" community. We size up the mom to our right and the mom to our left. If they have the latest attachment parenting sling, then our baby needs one too. If they breast fed for 6 months then I'll do it for 6 YEARS. If they are using cloth diapers, then we must too. If they only feed their kids an organic, Paleo, gluten-free, vegan diet, with only foods the color orange then BY GOD you will do the same!

I've been guilty of it myself. Being that I write about my life everyday there is this desire to show the world that I am living the perfect crunchy life. I've found myself out in public, worrying if one of my readers will see me throw out a Dunkin Donuts bag, or buying non-organic produce and call me out on my shit.

Then I remember I'm NOT on a scripted reality tv show, no one is watching my every move, and people aren't THAT judgmental (I hope).

I'm a human being. Do I make mistakes as a parent? Hell yes! Do sometimes wish I could have enough backbone to say "NO" when my 6 year old asks for a sugary ___fill in the blank____. Hell yes! Do I do the best I can most times to make sure my boys are well-rounded, loving, engaged members of society who know their own self-worth, outside of having STUFF. Ab-so-freakin-lutely!

It is INSANE and exhausting trying to keep up with everyone else. WE literally have a dis-ease within ourselves that makes us feel inadequate. The only way to cure it is to turn motherhood into an Olympic sport, where each of us is vying for the "gold medal".

But motherhood is NOT a battle to see whose kids are the strongest, smartest, most eco-friendly, prettiest, or even the healthiest. You don't need to have, be, or do everything another mother does to be an AWESOME mom for your kids.

We've forgotten that our kids only care about our relationship with THEM. Whether they know it or not, they value quality time with US over getting the latest gadget or toy.

So "Are you Mom Enough" to stop beating yourself up, or looking over your shoulder at what "she" is doing? Love you kid, love yourself, and enjoy the ride.

Do you feel the pressure to "keep up" with other moms? Leave your crunchy comment below!

Being a Kick-ass Mom (most of the time) in Granolaville, 

Posted in: competition,kids,motherhood,natural mom monday