Mom Treading Water (The Imperfect Mom)
As imperfect moms, we sometimes try to keep our heads above water. We are the ultimate “Mom Treading Water.” Whether you are a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), a mom who works out of the home, or somewhere in between, we all have challenges, benefits, and experiences. However, what we do share in common is that we are all imperfect moms. As an imperfect mom, wife, and human, I am exposing myself, intending to normalize the sisterhood of imperfect moms. None of us are perfect, no matter what image someone attempts to portray. Mom Treading Water encourages being kind to yourself while discovering your imperfections with compassion. As we learn about ourselves, we become better moms and humans. Thank you for joining me on this imperfect journey. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.
Episodes
Adopting a child is a life-changing experience that brings joy and fulfillment to many families. However, it is also a complex process that can be filled with stress and uncertainty. As someone who has gone through the journey of adoption twice, I understand the challenges and emotions that come with it.
That's why I believe it is essential to share some insider tips to help make the adoption journey smoother and more succ...
**TRIGGER WARNING** Depression, Anxiety, Child Sexual Abuse
For moms struggling with mental health, please know you are not alone. Like many, I have battled my mental health even before motherhood
My whole life, I have always felt inadequate, unworthy, and full of self-loathing. Like many, my existence focused on being a people pleaser without regard for my mental health. The worst part is that others accepted this because it me...
Before motherhood, my life always included anxiety. It was all I knew because it was how I lived. "What if..." was one of the most common phrases in my vocabulary. Risks and dreams were squashed by the "what if...".
Parental anxiety is a well-known worry that moms often feel. Even before becoming a mother, anxiety was constantly present in my life. It was a familiar feeling I had grown accustomed to, a...
Momma, have you ever felt inadequate, unworthy, and paralyzed by self-hatred?
My life has been centered around pleasing others without regard for my needs.
Constantly, I felt like I was taking space that I did not have a right or deserve to do.
To say I felt like a possession or a hindrance is an understatement.
Only with a few months of therapy my self-hatred is slowly changing. Realizing that I genuinely do not ...
Boundaries - Momma, Do You Struggle In Setting Healthy Boundaries With Your Child? You are not alone.
Going to therapy has been full of discoveries. I have realized that I struggle to set healthy boundaries with my children.
As a trained people pleaser, the guilt of setting boundaries has been engrained. The other realization is that my husband and I need to allow our children to set healthy boundaries with us so they learn ho...
As a mom living with anxiety, depression, and ADHD, my feelings could become overpowering. Yet, during the past few years, I have found ways to cope and calm my body and mind.
The other day was one of those days; fortunately, my supportive husband was home. I told him I needed to meditate to calm my body and mind. Although this might not seem like a huge milestone, for me, it truly was empowering.
Therapy teaches me to know...
Mom, Are You Feeling Overwhelmed? I Know How You Feel!
This mom has been extremely overwhelmed! I felt pulled in multiple directions and didn’t know where to start. No matter what I did, it was never enough, or I struggled with following through.
Full disclosure, I am still feeling overwhelmed but processing more constructively.
Information overload, self-induced pressures, and toxic triggers impacted my physical and mental health....
SAHM and Working Moms: Treading Water Requires Strength, and Women Are Strong
Undoubtedly, women are strong, making moms strong as a mother. Treading Water demands strength and stamina. As a SAHM, I know being a mom is not for the weak.
We are imperfect and always will be, but we are strong as SAHMs and Working Moms!
Check out our Strong as a Mother merch and much more at https://mom-treading-water.square.site/
Please be sure to j...
As a continuation from last week’s episode, here are ways we live on an average income allowing me to be a SAHM. The following tips are not just for SAHMs but all moms and anyone looking to make some easy financial adjustments.
Please note that I am not a financial advisor, and this is not financial advice. I am sharing our experiences in hopes of helping others.
Both moms and dads ask us how we can financially survive on 1 income, allowing me to be a SAHM.
Learn our tips and tricks for fast and easy savings on managing our food and grocery bills.
Please note that I am not a financial advisor. This is not financial advice. I am sharing our experiences in hopes of helping other moms and dads keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.
Confidence Within: Mothers and Daughters Learning From Each Other
My 5-year-old daughter, Mickey, shares her voice and claims her rightful space. She is her own person, and her confidence within has changed my life.
To try and mold her to be who I think she should be is wrong. She has a right to be herself.
She is not a reflection of me and to treat her as such is projecting my own insecurities onto her.
W...
Positive Parenting: 5 Things I Would Never Do As a Mom
Positive parenting is not always easy. We partially learn based on our own parental experiences. With each generation, positive parenting improves.
Here are 5 things I would never do as a mom:
- Hit my children
- Allow my children to play around or in water without responsible supervision
- Obsessively talk about my weight and negative body image
- Make my kids kiss, hug or touch ...
Moms, Say Yes to Your Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health
After reflecting on saying no as a way to set boundaries, I realized the importance of saying yes.
As moms, we NEED to say yes to ourselves. When we say yes to our needs, it is a step in improving our physical, mental, and emotional health.
Say yes to your happiness, so we teach our children that we can say yes to ourselves without it being inconsiderate.
Challenge yo...
Friends, the past year has been beyond anything I expected with Mom Treading Water. To enjoy the summer with my children and family, I am to publish every other week until early fall.
There have been moments my ADHD brain has wanted to do a million things with Mom Treading Water, but I know I need to take a step back, refocus and hone in on my goals.
Thank you for all your support and a new episode will be available soon!
All moms know the power of saying no.
Whether you are saying no to your children or your children are saying no to you, the word no creates a multitude of positive and negative emotions.
There is an opportunity to learn from our children by saying no more often.
Saying no is a way to create boundaries and place a priority on ourselves.
Challenge yourself to say no to something that is not right for you. Beyond sayin...
Traveling with children can be a fantastic opportunity for the whole family!
However, it is understandable how traveling can feel intimidating, especially if your child falls on the autism spectrum or has attention and/or mood disorders.
Award-winning author, Dawn M. Barclay, explains how parents can successfully incorporate travel into their families’ lives.
Her new book, Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of...
***Please note, that this episode contains explicit language and topics that may not be appropriate for young listeners.***
In part 2 of the interview with Dr. Fanike Young, she continues to share her own journey of making decisions from a healed place of trauma.
Dr. Fanike Young is a doctor of behavioral health, a clinically trained licensed trauma therapist, and a trauma survivor. Her goal is to help women make life d...
***Please note, that this episode contains explicit language and topics that may not be appropriate for young listeners.***
If you or someone you love thinks they might have experienced trauma, this is an important episode.
Dr. Fanike Young is a doctor of behavioral health, a clinically trained licensed trauma therapist, and a trauma survivor.
Her goal is to help women make life decisions from a healed place vs....
My husband, James, is the best husband, dad, and man. If you have any doubts about good men, be sure to check out Single Moms, Why Is It Hard to Find a Good Man?
As we celebrate one year of Mom Treading Water, he and I discuss what makes a good dad and a good husband.
He is supportive of me as his wife, mother of his children, and a woman embarking on a new venture.
Openly, he reminds me that sometimes the work and dedication ...
Working moms and.SAHMs both have a challenging but fulfilling jobs of being moms. However, there seems to be this discussion on whether working moms or SAHMs have it tougher?
Does it really matter? As moms, women, and parents, we should be supporting each other. Sometimes we get into this cycle of trying to see who is more of the martyr or has the most challenging situation.
Whether you are a working mom or a SAHM, each has ...
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