Being a good mom doesn't mean being a martyr

Happy day after Mother's Day! If you celebrated yesterday, I'm hoping you felt loved and appreciated — whether that means breakfast in bed, brunch with your extended family, homemade cards and gifts or something more extravagant (own that love language!). Something I've learned is that in order for the day to go how I envision, I need to communicate what I want to my husband and make it happen myself. I have to say, doing that made yesterday super fun and free from disappointment. If Mother's Day didn't live up to your expectations, I recommend being clear about those next year. (Yes, I'm aware that's just another thing on your mile-long to-do list. But it's worth it!)

On the subject of Mother's Day, this story by senior reporter Kelsey Borresen really resonated with me. She talks about how people commemorate the day on social media with posts that praise their moms for all the ways they prioritized their kids' needs at the expense of their own, perpetuating the narrative that being a good mom means being a martyr.

"People will point out that the martyr mentality is damaging and, in the next breath, glorify moms for attempting to 'do it all,'" Kelsey writes. "Many women still feel immense pressure, internal and external, to keep all the balls in the air at the expense of their own well-being."

It's a super relatable read.

Best,

Ashley Rockman

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