Squashing Mum Food Guilt - rediscovering confidence
As a parent, you’ve probably experienced those moments when guilt creeps up on you unexpectedly. Maybe you’ve felt it while doing mindless tasks such as washing dishes..or driving in your car. It’s when our mind wanders to places that we don’t even realise it’s going…. But it can certainly lead us down a rabbit hole of worry and comparison!
I promise you, you are not alone on this - it hits all of us, yes ALL of us, in different ways. For this reason, I think, it’s important to acknowledge that mum guilt is an everyday occurrence for many of us…especially in the food department. I call this mum food guilt.
So, why is mum food guilt such an issue in today’s world? One word: Comparison. We’re constantly bombarded with curated images on social media, setting unrealistically high standards for ourselves. We scroll through Instagram, seeing those immaculate lunchboxes and perfect family dinners, and it’s hard not to feel inadequate.
But here’s the thing – you are more than enough, and you’re doing an incredible job as a parent. In fact, we all are. It’s time to shift our perspective and stop judging our worth as parents based on these external standards. You see, mum guilt and these subsequent feelings of inadequacy have been around for ages, social media has amplified these feelings, making them more overwhelming than ever.
So where do we start?
1.Focus on gratitude first: Every family is unique and has it’s own set of challenges. We must first be grateful for everything we do have and everything that our children are, because focusing on that, feels good… and when we feel good, we are in a much more positive mindset… and good things happen, momentum will build.
2. Lower expectations: When our expectations are too high and our children aren’t eating the way we expect them to, it creates a bucket load of tension, stress and worry. This can then manifest as pressure and bribes at mealtimes, which then negatively impacts on the family mealtime environment. It’s time to re-evaluate whether your expectations are too high.. Perhaps the focus needs to be more on creating a positive environment at home where your child can thrive, even if they prefer plain pasta over an elaborate meal.
3. Celebrate Small Wins: Try to shift your focus to all the positives, the small wins, because at the end of the day they are big wins and create momentum! Celebrate the moments when your child sits at the table engaged in conversation, or takes that bite of broccoli, even if it’s spat out again! These small wins are worth remembering, because they are just the beginning!
4. Be kind to yourself: Remember that you ARE doing well and you are enough! Cut yourself some slack!! As busy mums, every single day we are pulled in SO many different directions to wear so many hats! We need to pause to take a minute and celebrate the fact that you are their cook, their teacher, their nurse, their shoulder to cry on, their counselor, their laundromat, their cleaner and goodness knows what else! You should be celebrated DAILY for getting everyone fed and into bed in one piece!!!
5. Find like minded mums to support you: Join a community of mums who understand the challenges you face. Share your experiences, seek advice, and provide support to one another. Together, we can overcome mum guilt and build each other up. This is exactly why I created the Nourishing Kids Membership! To find out more, click HERE.
So, if you’ve ever found yourself drowning in the sea of mum guilt, it’s time to start the journey towards self-compassion and confidence. You’re not alone in this, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.
I invite you to listen to my latest podcast episode - The Easy Feed Episode 2 - The Mum Food Guilt”. (link https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-easy-feed/id1710594874?i=1000631530775) Together, we can reduce the unnecessary burden of mum guilt.
Remember, you are an incredible parent, and your child is lucky to have you. Let’s conquer mum guilt and rediscover parenting confidence together!