Great article below by Sarah Schuster. Would you add anything to this list? . Cis, Parenting with ACEs Group
Being a parent is hard. Being a parent with a health challenge can be extra hard. Being a parent with a highly stigmatized health challenge… it can leave a momma with mental illness feeling like no one understands what she’s going through.
That’s why, just in time for Mother’s Day, we wanted to ask moms in our mental health community to share one thing they wish others understood about parenting with a mental illness. Because all mothers deserve love and support, and no mother should feel like she’s doing it alone.
Here’s what our Mighty Moms shared with us:
1. “Having to attend parties or playdates is a nightmare. I’m not being rude if I don’t talk to you… I quite literally can’t. I will leave a social event with a migraine and be physically drained. My house is never 100-percent clean… it’s sometimes not even 50-percent cleaned. If it comes down to doing something with my son, or cleaning, my son will win out. I’m not a bad mom for not wanting to socialize with other parents. I’m not a bad mom for not having a spotless house. My son is happy, healthy and loves me. That’s a win in my book. My anxiety/depression/ADHD/DID don’t define me. They are a part of me, and I make the best of every day. You should never judge someone because you never know what battles they are fighting.” — Kim B.
2. “I am ‘real’ with my children because I have to be. I don’t care if other people think I shouldn’t talk to my 4-year-old about ‘why Mommy gets cranky and cries sometimes.’ I’d rather tell them the truth, that Mommy is sick, than have them wondering their whole childhood and growing up thinking they were somehow to blame. As a result, my children are more empathetic than most adults because they realize that sometimes even adults can struggle with their emotions.” — Katie H.
3. “Sometimes I need to be away from my children. That doesn’t mean I love them any less than moms who can do it all and still be smiling… I just need to be alone sometimes.” — Courtnie H.
4. “I am not lazy. There are reasons why my house is not in order. Some days it takes all I have in me just to get out of bed. Ask me questions. Do not assume I am a horrible mother/woman.” — Lisa L.
Read more here.
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