Mommy is another word for Guilt

Let’s be honest.

I’m a mom and I feel guilty all the time.  I think it is just part of the territory.  But damn, it pulls at my chest like webbed fingers grasping for a final morsel of chocolate cake.

When the small people were itty bitty – the guilt was minor, but seemingly all-consuming:

“Am I doing this right?”

“What?  She isn’t supposed to have peanut butter until she is 12?”

“He is supposed to get 26 hours of sleep a day?”

“Am I allowed to take a nap while she rests?  What if she needs me and I don’t hear her?”

The nagging refrain that echoed through my soul taunted me: “are you sure you can be good at this Mommy-thing?”

I think I can.  I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Now, I feel guilty about a million new things and the corresponding mom-hats I wear:

• How did I not know it was dress-down day at school? (the disorganized mom)
• How come no one told me I was allowed to join her for school lunch? (the uninformed mom)
• I want to work out, but they want to play outside? (the selfish mom)
• Did I really just skip a page in the bedtime story because I am JUST.TOO.TIRED? (the selfish and tired mom)
• I have work to do, they want to paint.  And painting requires my full attention. (the non-get-down-on-your-knees-and-play mom)
• Yes, I did, in fact, just pull your shorts out of the dirty laundry – you can wear them again. (the lazy mom)
• I am wishing for you to just.go.away because I can’t stand the fighting anymore. (the impatient mom)
• No, for the 17th time, you may not skip dinner and eat dessert. (the un-fun mom)
• I know it was ‘your turn’, but….. (the unfair mom)

And that is just today.

What about you?  What Mommy-induced-guilt-hat are you wearing?