Motherly Stories - Essays About Being A Mom - Motherly
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Motherly Stories

Motherhood changes us. Celebrate the ups and downs with these honest, insightful essays about becoming—and being—a mom.

mom posing alongside two daughters - raising daughters

To the fierce mamas raising fierce daughters

"As moms raising fierce girls into the next generation of women leaders—leaders our world desperately needs—let’s celebrate the loudness and demands of our daughters that have so often been shunned."

child playing with toys while mom watches

It’s OK for your child to play alone

Because doing so can foster their independence—and their creativity.

mom sitting on floor holding son

Sometimes I don’t ‘enjoy every moment’ of raising a little one

Every moment isn’t filled with laughter. Sometimes our tears hold the most weight. But it is all of these moments that make us mothers.

Family photo of mom with two young sons on beach

Dear husband: Thank you for taking the picture

Thank you for seeing—really seeing—all the beauty in our day-to-day lives.

stressed mom breastfeeding child

Let’s normalize talking about how hard breastfeeding is

I took the classes. I read books. And even when everything is right, it is still hard—and demanding.

mom playing with happy child

The secret to a happy family is holding space for unhappiness

Happiness isn’t about the absence of sadness; happiness is about accepting that the human experience includes a wide range of emotions and all are valid.

mom smiling while holding toddler

This is what moms of older kids mean when we say: ‘You’ll miss these days’

These comments aren't meant to diminish the very real struggles of parenthood, but rather to recognize the joy in parenthood. 

woman with hands on face and wearing eye masks

Mom Guilt is a symptom of a much deeper problem

"Mom guilt is the symptom of a disease plaguing motherhood. It is overwhelmingly an indictment of our society’s failures, not moms’ behavior."

woman auntie with kids

To the magical aunt who loves my kids more than life ????

Aunts are too-often the invisible but essential support system around families, and I can’t thank mine enough for the comfort they bring me.

mom holding daughters hand in the hospital- childhood cancer

I never thought I’d be a ‘cancer mom’—here’s what I want other parents to know

Cancer comes in like a tornado and tears your life apart, and very few people understand that. They tell you to be strong or worse—to stay positive. Some friends show up in the most beautiful way and others stop showing up altogether. The losses hit hard. 

woman breastfeeding in public

I was shamed for breastfeeding in public as a fat woman—let’s support all nursing moms

I’ve come to realize that these hateful displays are not uncommon. They exist as prime examples of the intersection of breastfeeding shame and fatphobia.

mom and son under blanket

‘Boys do cry’: How I’m working to raise sensitive and emotionally aware sons

As a mom to two boys, it is a great privilege and responsibility to raise sensitive boys, combat society’s tendency to spread toxic masculinity and teach them how to be emotionally aware humans.

woman walking on beach in bikini

Women’s bodies aren’t open for judgment

Will we ever just let women be? Will we ever be able to move about the world in our uniquely amazing bodies without the judgments and criticisms and critiques?

pregnant wife, husband and five kids sitting in living room

I’m the mom who wants a big family

I know this will mean having our work cut out for us, but with all of that comes lots more adventure, lots more laughter and lots more love.

mom and son laughing on bed

Yes, I want more children—but I’m enjoying my only child for now

Because these moments only happen once. And as quickly as they come, they are gone just as fast.

proud woman

6 unexpected ways pole-dancing class empowered me to love my body

How an ex stripper taught me to stop being so hard on my body and myself.

woman sitting by herself in the desert

I took a solo babymoon and it made me a stronger mom-to-be

While I live for adventure, my husband is more of a homebody. I’m used to traveling without him. I don’t feel bad about it, and neither does he, because we’re both doing what we want to do.

mom and daughter folding clothes

Just because I’m a stay-at-home mom doesn’t mean I have to do it all

While I notably spend more time at home, the responsibility of the household does not solely fall on or depend on me. 

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