Motherly Stories

Thank you for being my friend—the one I can go to for anything

We were able to bare our ugliest secrets, our silliest insecurities, our pettiest worries and our darkest fears about life as a mom.

As a mom, I’m ‘Chief Memory Maker’—a job that is equal parts wonderful and hard

But you know what it is? It's worth it. It's so worth it to me.

I wish my mom was here to see me be a mother

I yearned to hear what her pregnancy was like and what labor might be like for me as her own daughter.

How to boost your happiness when motherhood feels SO hard

Here are three simple, effective strategies we can do to increase our own happiness levels.

You were someone before you were their mom—and she still matters

I feel like the woman I was before I became a mother is someone I am familiar with, but I don't know her all that well—she's more like an acquaintance. Honestly, I have to think really hard to remember what it was like to be her.

Living close to my sister made such a huge difference when I became a mom

Watching my kids play with her kids—and the bond they share—makes me so proud. They fight and argue like siblings, but they also light up when they see each other and laugh so hard whenever they're together.

I’m done setting unrealistic expectations for myself as a mom

And I'm done doing it.

10 phrases to say to your kids to inspire confidence

It began as my mom's voice but has become my own, and it is my super power.

Mothers try to do the work of many, but one person does not make a village

“It takes a village to raise a child.” That’s right—an entire small town. Cut yourself a break—you’re just one woman.

An ode to my body—you’ve grown, carried and birthed a baby

Thank you for the gift of health. Thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for the gift of movement.

Dear son, you’ll always be my little boy

I had no idea how my heart would stretch and grow with every day of being your mom.

Having a miscarriage left me feeling heartbroken—and still pregnant

I just wished the world around me would stop and give me a moment to catch my breath.

Mama, you can handle anything—even flu season

Of course, there are suggestions for avoiding colds and flu, but even with all of these preventions, sick days are almost unavoidable.

Motherhood is: Listening to ‘Baby Shark’ over and over (and over) again

The tune can calm my toddler's tantrum and soothe my newborn's cries—I can't deny its power.

To the mom who believes in peaceful parenting—but struggles to actually do it

My emotional baggage impacted the way I interacted with my children, especially when I was tired, stressed or triggered.

I’m so grateful to my divorced parents for committing to peaceful co-parenting

My parents have been divorced for almost 30 years and yet they still strive to do their divorce right.

Motherhood is: Wishing I could freeze time

No matter how bittersweet it can feel, watching you grow and change daily is a reminder of how incredibly lucky I am to have you. We were never meant to live in this moment forever despite how many times we'd like to.

I want to be a stay-at-home mom AND a working mom

Because my children are important to me, and my work is important to me.

To my child-free friends—I might have to say ‘no,’ but please still invite me

I miss you.

The absence of villages has made us think we need to handle motherhood alone—but we don’t

I was alone. Doing it by myself because I COULD. But it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. I didn't do it as well. And I felt lonely.