20 things NOT to feel mom guilt about

Mother guilt is as synonymous with parenting as poo nappies, toddler tantrums and sleepless nights. And if I had a dollar for every time I heard moms lamenting their mommy guilt, felt it myself, or read blogs and tweets about it, well, I’d be able to quit work. And thus alleviate my own mommy guilt!

But it being Mother’s Day coming up, and the fact that we’re often hard on ourselves as moms, I thought I would outrule stuff that we probably shouldn’t be feeling guilty about.

• Going to work
• Enjoying work
• Not wanting to work
• Putting your child in front of Barney for an extra half hour sleep/shower/bath/meal
• Lying to your competitive mom friends about how many hours your baby sleeps at a stretch when they try to outdo you with their child’s sleeping habits
• Letting your kids spend a night or weekend at their grandparents
• Locking yourself in the bathroom so that you can wee in peace
• Not bathing your child for one night because it was just too much hassle
• Not heating your baby’s bottle if they’re used to cold milk
• Not breastfeeding
• Supplementing with formula
• Not going to antenatal classes or reading childcare books
• Choosing a birth plan despite what everyone else thinks
• Giving your child cake for breakfast because that’s all he’ll eat, or to avoid a toddler tantrum
• Not feeling like sex after giving birth
• Not keeping every piece of artwork
• Not going to a class birthday party because you don’t know anyone
• Not signing up to the PTA or other parenting committee
• Saying the park or playground is closed because you’re tired to go, or because it’s too cold
• Still wishing you had your pre-pregnancy body

Wishing you a wonderful and hopefully guiltless Mother’s Day!