Hey. Pssst. To the mom over there...
You are going to be okay.
You. The one who's worried that you are doing it all wrong. Making all the mistakes and saying every single wrong thing.
The one who can't sleep at night because her babies never sleep at night and then they grow up into teenagers who still have a hard time sleeping through the night.
The one who can't figure out why her young ones only eat 3 things and she's terrified they will not get the nourishment they need from chicken nuggets and PB&J's.
The one who gets so nervous when her kids are about to perform, compete, or take an exam that she feels like she is going to throw up.
The one who holds her breath when her big kid drives away and can't sleep until she knows he is back home safe.
The one who gets unspeakably angry when someone dismisses her children or leaves them out or judges them or says hurtful things to them.
The one who wants to fix all the things and is struggling with the brutal balance of holding on while at the same time letting go.
To the mom over there...
There is nothing wrong with you. The reason you take on all of it and feel these overwhelming emotions is because you are A MOM.
Your kids are going to be okay. I promise.
No matter how you let them down. Guess what. You're human. You're allowed to be less than perfect.
They will survive and thrive and the lessons they learn along the way will propel and grow them into amazing, compassionate, resilient, loving adults. You can't ruin that with your imperfect self.
It's your imperfections that make you YOU.
You. The mom they couldn't get enough of as littles. Remember the days when you couldn't even pee without them hanging on your ankles? And if you were gone for a few hours, when you returned home they greeted you like you just took a trip around the moon?
You. The mom whose shoulder they cried on when they were too old to be seen crying by anyone else.
You. The mom whose teens acted like they needed you much less than they used to but in reality needed you that much more.
You. The mom who has spent her life loving and sacrificing for her kids. Doting on them. Kissing boo boos and giving unwanted advice. Soothing nightmares, real and imagined. Feeling the joy and suffering of her kids with every fiber of her being, so much so that it often felt unbearable.
You. The one who has never and will never give up on those kids, even when they are the age you are now.
You. You are the exact mom they've always needed.
They are yours. Your beloved. Your cherished. Your world. Your breath. Your foundation. Your mansion.
But don't forget. YOU are also theirs.
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