by Maureen LoBue – President of the Mean Moms Club
- First, realize it’s impossible and be ok with the fact that you are not, and never will be, the perfect mom. Take a deep breath & say it, ” It’s ok!”
- Second, once you accept that, life and parenting will get much easier because you get to buy out of the guilt that we are typically so good at. That guilt just wears us down and we don’t need anything else to wear us down!
- Third, recognize the fact that this is beyond tough, beyond exhausting, beyond anything else you’ll ever do. You must have a support network, whether that is family or friends or playgroups. If you are exhausted or overwhelmed you cannot be there at all for your kids, let alone part of the time.
- I love my kids with my whole heart and will be there for them as much as I can be
- I will forgive myself for the days or moments that I am too tired or frustrated to “do the right thing”
- I will recognize and allow myself to need a break
- I will use my support network when I need that break
- It’s ok to be too tired today
- I’m doing the best I can
- Tomorrow will be a better day
- Family
- Friends
- Play group moms
- I can go to most of the little league games, maybe 75% of them
- I can read bedtime stories 3 times a week
- We can all sit down together for dinner 4 days a week
by Maureen LoBue – President of the Mean Moms Club
Mean Mom Club: The Moms Rule Book can be found purchased directly from Amazon by clicking on the book below:
Is it normal to feel like a failure as a mom?
Table of Contents
Completely normal — and it’s actually a sign that you care deeply. The idea of the perfect mom is a myth. By the time most parents have their second child, they’ve realized perfection isn’t the goal; survival and genuine love are. Accepting that you won’t get everything right, and releasing the guilt that comes with that, is what frees you to actually be present for your kids in the ways that matter most.
How can moms stop feeling guilty about not being perfect parents?
Start by replacing the goal of perfection with a more honest one. Use affirmations that fit your real life — ‘I love my kids and I’m doing my best’ goes a lot further than holding yourself to an impossible standard. When you catch yourself in the guilt spiral, those phrases become a practical tool for redirecting your thoughts. Guilt wears you down; permission to be human gives you energy back.
Why do moms need a support network, and how do they build one?
Parenting is genuinely one of the most demanding things a person can do, and trying to do it in isolation is unsustainable. A support network — family, friends, other parents, a playgroup — gives you someone to call on the hard days, which means you’re actually more available for your kids the rest of the time. Building one starts simply: reach out to people you trust, put them on speed dial, and actually use them when you need to instead of pushing through alone.
What does it mean to be a ‘best imperfect mom’ instead of the perfect mom?
It means setting real, honest goals instead of impossible ones — attending most of the games rather than all of them, reading bedtime stories a few nights a week, sitting down together for dinner most nights. When your goals are achievable, you actually meet them, and that builds real confidence rather than constant disappointment. The JUNE framework — Jolt out of perfection thinking, Undo guilt, Network with support, Energize with realistic goals — is a practical way to get there.
Add Comment