
I took this picture when I was away last week with a group of girlfriends.
Do you talk to yourself like you love yourself?
I don't.
But, I do think I need to do this more often and I know many of my friends do too.
Which got me wondering - why are women, especially moms, so hard on themselves?
Oh, right. I think I actually know the answer to this.
It's because if anything goes wrong with our kids it always seems to be the Mama who gets blamed.
This blaming of Moms starts the day our children are born and we are bombarded with information on how to put them down to sleep the right way - back, front side...pick one! Just know that in two years science will have discovered something new about it and you'll have done the wrong thing.
And the criticism continues through our children's youngest years as we try and sort out how long to nurse (or not nurse) them. And don't even think about nursing them in public....
As our kids get older all Mamas will be accused of ruining our kids by either being helicopter parents or we'll be told we are not engaged enough with them and that's causing mental health issues.
When our kids are teens, we'll be told we're babying them if we pack them wholesome lunches,but if we let them sort it out for themselves then we are told we're bad Mamas because they aren't getting the proper nutrients they need to grow healthy brains and learn properly at school.
Don't even get me started on how horrible Moms are about setting bedtime hours and trying to set guidelines around computers and video games. Whatever we try and do there is wrong too. Mamas are always too lenient or too strict.
Seriously, Moms cannot win in our society. Okay, PARENTS can't win.
So, we do the best we can and you know what?
The kids seem to be turning out all right.
Which brings me back to the sign.
Speak nicely to yourselves, Mamas and non-Mamas too.
Because you deserve it!
And God knows, you're never going to hear it from anyone else.
But honestly? You're doing great.
And you're beautiful too.
Worry lines and all.

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