Emma always imagined she would be the perfect mother—patient, always put together, never raising her voice. "But reality hit hard," she admits. "Motherhood is messy, unpredictable, and sometimes you just need to cry in the bathroom."
She struggled with guilt for not meeting the unattainable standard she had set for herself. "One day, my friend told me, 'Your kids don’t need a perfect mum, they need a happy one.' That changed everything."
Emma started allowing herself grace, leaning on her support system, and accepting that being a good mother doesn’t mean being flawless. "Now, I focus on being present rather than perfect. It’s so much more fulfilling."