I recently had the pleasure of getting together with a group of fellow moms.  All are women whom I adore, and respect.  While we were all talking I noticed a theme in our conversations.  Constantly all four of us were comparing ourselves to other mothers.  We said things like, “I wish I could have a house as clean as hers”  “If only my house were that big.”  “Wouldn’t it be nice to have that new car?” “I bet I would be more stylish if I had more money.”  “I wish I had her clothes.”  “I wish I had her waistline.”  “I can’t be a good mom, look at how well her kids behave!”  It was all I could do to not shout at these women.  These beautiful, smart, caring women who are amazing mothers.

I’m here to tell you that you are an amazing mother, simply because you are your child’s mother.  Let me elaborate.  Having more money won’t make you a better mother.  A bigger car doesn’t make you love your children more.  A smaller waistline doesn’t make your kids love you more.  Living in a bigger home won’t make your kids smarter or more well behaved. Some of these things might in our minds make our life easier, but it has no bearing on ourselves.   Our worth as parents is not measured in stuff!  If you love your children, want what is best for them, and on a daily basis make sure their needs are met, then you are an amazing mother.  To your child you are worth more than all the gold in the world.

Don’t beat yourself up if somedays you cant even manage to brush your teeth, let alone unload the dishwasher.  Our kids will not remember that the house was always dirtier than someone else’s.  They won’t remember that we didn’t have the newest SUV on the market.  They will, however, remember the songs you sang on road trips, the games you played, and the love you shared.  It’s time to stop beating ourselves up and be secure in our worth as the mothers of our children.  There is no replacing us.  Pep talk over!

-Stephanie Wright