Inspiration

Having a hard day as a mom? Here’s a little lift and inspiration for your parenting.

My Life is Over: My Postpartum Depression Story {Part 1}
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My Life is Over: My Postpartum Depression Story {Part 1}

Postpartum depression sneaks up on you and strangles your grip on the present.  Instead of feeling excited for the future, you’re overwhelmed by dread… counting down the minutes until your baby moves out.  At least, that’s how it was for me. 

I’m telling this story in parts since it’s pretty long.  If you feel like you’re struggling, I hope it makes you feel less alone and nudges you towards getting help.

My Family Does Nothing To Help Around The House
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My Family Does Nothing To Help Around The House

Picture this.

You come home to dishes piled on the counter, your child’s clothes hamper overflowing with dirty clothes and the dog staring at you. telepathically trying to tell you she’s hungry.

No one else in your family seems to see it.

Your kids happily walk in after school, throw their stuff on the floor and think that the magical cleaning fairy somehow cleans it up.

Why can’t anyone in your family take the initiative to clean up but you?

I get that. I’ve felt that.

It’s not like you haven’t tried either. You’ve tried the pretty chore charts. You even offered to pay them!

But, nothing’s worked.

You may have been making the same mistake I was…

How To Recover From Mom Burnout
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How To Recover From Mom Burnout

You’re sitting on your couch, playing on your smartphone and you just want to be left alone.

There might be a small amount of guilt lurking under the surface. But not much.

Your kids ask, “Can you play this game with me?”

Nope, not right now, you reply.

You’re burned out. Every bit of energy and motivation has left your body. It disintegrated with that last tantrum or vaporized after your tween daughter gave her characteristic shrug when you asked how her day was.

You’re done and frankly, don’t really see a point in this whole parenting thing anymore.

I see you. I’ve been there.

DO this One Thing to Stop Being an Angry Mom
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DO this One Thing to Stop Being an Angry Mom

I slam my foot against the kitchen cabinet.

“Just stop it!” I yell, “Stop the fighting!”

My kids go quiet and stand frozen in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry Mama,” my five-year-old son tells me and immediately… I feel bad.

They’re just kids, they don’t deserve an angry mom.

And yet, I’m literally going out of my mind. I’m so exhausted and feel like I don’t even have the space to sort through my own thoughts.

Is this what motherhood is supposed to be like?

Nope. But, I’m making one critical mistake.

Could this be why you’re so frustrated as a mom?
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Could this be why you’re so frustrated as a mom?

Do you feel like you’re too nice?

One of my students called me out for that my first year of teaching.

In her very astute, wise little fifth grade voice she told me, “Mrs. Crohn, you are too nice”

But wait… don’t you want to be nice? Isn’t that something to aim for?

Kind yes. But nice…nice is taking on the full responsibility of other people’s feelings and adapting your behavior to make others happy.

That’s what I was doing when an 11-year-old called me out.

Creating A Bare Bones Budget When You’re Not Making Much Money
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Creating A Bare Bones Budget When You’re Not Making Much Money

In the midst of this strange season of social distancing and change, money may well be a scary topic for you. Maybe you’re like my family and you’re working through a big loss of income due to the pandemic? Maybe overwhelm and anxiety define your money situation in this season of uncertainty? Maybe you’ve decided to keep your head down and eyes closed, playing the “if I don’t look at it, then it can’t be real game” that our kids played when they were little?