Mom guilt can leave even the most capable mothers doubting themselves. Most mothers demand perfection of themselves, which can lead to them agonizing over mistakes they made – imagined or otherwise – while caring for their kids.
You aren’t alone in thinking this way, but your mistakes aren’t as bad as you believe they are.
Mom guilt can become a very isolating experience, but millions of others go through these struggles too. A few choice mom guilt quotes might help you remember that others moms have also been dealing with this. They’ve endured the experience well enough – as you will, too, so be kind to yourself.
You’re more than enough for your child. You’re doing amazing with what you have to work with. Just do the best you can, and hopefully, leave that weighty guilt behind.
Moms hold themselves to high standards, but making mistakes is just part of the process. Don’t expect too much of yourself starting off – simply strive to learn and improve as you go along.
Uplifting Mom Guilt Quotes
You are More Than Enough
Mom guilt quotes are great because they serve as a gentle reminder that you aren’t alone in dealing with this daunting experience. Motherhood is full of ups and downs, and you’re bound to have days where you feel unworthy of your child. Letting this train of thought get to you can push you to neglect your responsibilities as a parent.
In that regard, it’s very similar to imposter syndrome. It can be dealt with in similar ways.
On a general basis, start by not taking yourself for granted. Let’s say you were five minutes late on feeding your baby – it happens to the best of us. No need to beat yourself up about that issue.
What about the past week you spent changing their diaper every time they made a mess? What of all the vaccinations and pediatrician visits you scheduled for them? What about laundering all their clothes? What do you think of all the toys you bought for them?
You were expected to do all this as a mother, but that doesn’t diminish any of the efforts behind it. A mother can’t take herself for granted – a lot of people do already! Value yourself, because you are your child’s main caregiver, protector, and cheerleader.
You always want to be at your best because your child deserves the best! Remember that caring for yourself is caring for your child – they want you healthy and happy, so oblige them!
- “It’s not easy being a mom. If it were easy, fathers would do it.” – Betty White
- “Get rid of the guilt. When you’re at one place, don’t feel bad that you’re not at work. When you’re at work, don’t feel bad that you’re not at home.” – Katie Couric
- “The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children. – Jessica Lange
- “I think moms put a lot of pressure on ourselves trying to balance it all. It’s never going to be perfectly balanced – the sooner you know this, the sooner you can relieve some pressure you put on yourself.” – Denise Richards
- “Stop worrying about what others think. This is where most of the mom guilt comes from. Just focus on your children and everything will be fine.” – Jessie Gilberts
- “It just occurred to me that the majority of my diet is made up of the foods my kid did not finish.” – Carrie Underwood
- “I will look after you, and I will look after anybody you say needs to be looked after, any way you say – I am here. I brought my whole self to you because I am your mother.” – Maya Angelou
- “Mama, you are going to struggle. There will be days that you aren’t the best mom, and, as soon as the kids go to sleep, your brain fills with mom guilt. Don’t give in. You are allowed to have bad days. Those days do not define you.” – Katie Hendrickson
- “Be kind. You never know how many times a mom got up last night.” – Unknown
- “I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Successful mothers are not the ones who have never struggled. They are the ones who never give up, despite the struggles.” – Sharon Jaynes
- “I love my mother as trees love water and sunshine. She helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.” – Terry Guillemets
You are Doing Great
Mothers do the best they can. They pour all their blood, sweat, and tears into their tireless work. They aren’t meant to just sit and teach but set an example for their kids to follow. They aren’t perfect – no one is – but they wake up and do amazing things every day, simply out of love.
Your child has no need for perfection. Doing amazing is not the baseline, but something worth admiring every time you accomplish it. If you want your child to believe that they can do great things, start by acknowledging all the great things you do in your own life.
All mothers make mistakes. A good mother learns from them. A great mother teaches through them. Apologizing to your children when you’ve made a mistake shows humility and teaches them the value of admitting imperfections. Remember, showing vulnerability can be a strength, not a weakness.
There are no perfect mothers – only mothers trying their best, hoping it’ll be good enough. It usually is, but mothers tend to be really harsh on themselves – there’s a reason why mom guilt quote lists are so long! Thankfully, mothers are way more considerate of others in situations similar to their own.
Check out what some other moms have to say down below (along with a few other people who might not be mommies, but have a ton of good advice to share.)!
- “For me, being a mother made me a better professional because coming home every night to my girls reminded me of what I was working for. And being a professional made me a better mother because by pursuing my dream, I was modeling for my girls how to pursue their dreams.” – Michelle Obama
- “My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis.” – Drew Barrymore
- “I think that every working mom probably feels the same thing: you go through big chunks of time where you’re just thinking, ‘this is impossible… oh this is impossible.’ And you just keep going and keep going and you sort of do the impossible.” – Tina Fey
- “Let go of the guilt, the comparison, the worry, and do something simple today: Appreciate one simple thing about yourself. You’re doing the best you know how, and you’re doing pretty great in a lot of ways.” – Carol Tuttle
- “There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” – Jill Churchill
- “A happy mother is a good mother, and if work makes you hum, your whole family sings along.” – Sharon Meers & Joanna Strober
- “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity; it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie
- “A mother’s arms are made of tenderness, and children sleep soundly in them.” – Victor Hugo
- “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln
- “Men are what their mothers made them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “If you’re a mom, you’re a superhero. Period.” – Rosie Pope
You are Not Alone in Those Thoughts
Moms often feel that they carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. That’s not entirely untrue: they carried little worlds in their bodies, sharing their joy with the rest of us after nine months. But they aren’t alone in feeling this, and they aren’t alone in dealing with this.
Every mother experiences this exhausting guilt. It can feel insurmountable, but millions of others have handled these thoughts – and they raised fine children. You will too.
They might have had help: family, friends, maybe even a partner. These people might not be mothers themselves, but they chose to spare time and effort to help them along regardless.
You aren’t as lonely as you think you are, and you’ll get the help you need – so long as you remember to ask!
- “My instinct is to protect my children from pain, but adversity is often the thing that gives us character and backbone. It’s always been a struggle for me to back off and let my children go through difficult experiences.” – Nicole Kidman
- “Mom guilt is like a spotlight following your every step with both children in your arms, with voices shouting at you what you could do better and how your children will not reach their full potential because of your parenting. The light can be blinding.” – Grace Cross
- “Every working mom I know is constantly walking some kind of a tightrope of guilt.” – Sarah Wayne Callies
- “Motherhood is the most completely humbling experience I’ve ever had. It puts you in your place because it really forces you to address the issues that you claim to believe in – and if you can’t stand up to those principles when you’re raising a child, forget it.” – Diane Keaton
- “The struggle is real. The juggle is real. This is why everyone should hire working mothers. They are put in a crazy situation all the time and are forced to problem-solve. They are some of my most resourceful employees.” – Sara Blakely
- “I don’t think there’s been an hour of my life since Ava was born that I don’t think of my kids. I call it my CNN ticker tape: Is Ava OK? Yes. Is Deacon OK? Yes. Is Tennessee OK? Yes. Back to Ava.” – Reese Witherspoon
- “Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love and worry, all mixed together. Your fundamental identity changes overnight.” – Kate Middleton
Final Thoughts
Mom guilt quotes are plentiful because every mother, at some point in their life, feels that they aren’t doing enough for their kids – but that doesn’t make it true.
You won’t ever be perfect, but a great mom will find herself getting better every day. Remember that you aren’t alone with these fears, and you’ll power through them just like all the moms that came before you!
