What Makes a Great Mom?

So, I can be pretty negative. Especially about myself.









I'm not sure if it's a motherhood thing, but I have noticed it's gotten worse with motherhood. The blaming, the guilt, the "what ifs" and "shouldas." It could just be that there are so many more options and variables to feel guilty about.









Like "shoulda done more blog posts..." :-)









But every so often I get tired of it. Tired of blaming myself, feeling like crap about myself, tired of feeling hopeless, tired of feeling miserable, tired of feeling like I'm not a good mom or wifey. Sometimes, it's the pit of depression, and there's not a whole lot I can do, except try to hold and fight. But sometimes it's just me feeling sorry for myself. YES, I said that. I think that can be a big part of the problem.









So here's where I begin again, again. I want to be a great mom, a great person. In my own eyes, but also in my husband's, my family's, my friends'. Not that I need to impress anyone, but I certainly have a need for affirmation. Something else that I'm working on...more guilt...argh.









So, how do I accomplish that? Let's do away with too-big and hard-to-reach goals: yes, I need to exercise every day, remember to do quiet times, take time every day for myself, read more fiction, read more how-to cook books and what to do when your toddler doesn't sleep books, etc, etc, pile on more guilt for not doing these! Let's start with something more simple.









Here's something that I have been pondering for a while. Now I'm putting it to paper! Er, to the internets. It's a good starting point.









Things I should do Everyday as a Stay at Home Mom - in Order to Stay Sane




1. Brush my teeth




2. Comb my hair




3. Wash my face/shower




4. Get dressed




5. Have my coffee




6. Not feel guilty about taking time to do these things for myself, not just for the little ones that follow me around




7. Not feel bad about myself if I do not accomplish this list every day