Every mom has thought at least one of these. Probably more.
Nobody tells you that motherhood comes with a running list of thoughts you’d never say out loud. Not because you’re a bad mom — but because you’re a human one. I came across this survey from Parenting.com and felt seen by more than a few of these. No personal commentary this time. The confessions speak for themselves.
The following is based on survey results from Parenting.com.
Confession #1: Mom just wants to be left alone.
Me time becomes almost nonexistent once you have a child. According to the survey, it’s the thing moms miss most from their pre-baby lives — more than their body, more than disposable income, more than sleep. Twenty-three percent of moms said alone time is what they crave most. I understood this one deeply by about Day 30.
Confession #2: She has complicated feelings about breastfeeding.
Society sends mixed messages about nursing, and moms have absorbed all of them. While some judge others for not breastfeeding, even more — 42% — admitted feeling uncomfortable about extended breastfeeding. One mom in the survey breastfed her daughter past two years old and kept it secret from almost everyone. No judgment here. Fed is fed.
Confession #3: She’s sent her kid to school sick.
Forty-nine percent of working moms have done it — given the child some Advil, hoped for the best, and sent them off anyway. When you’ve already missed too many days at work and the child hasn’t actually thrown up yet, the math sometimes wins over the guilt.
Confession #4: She’d do some things differently.
Seventy-one percent of moms said anonymously that if they could do it over, they’d change something. Almost a quarter would choose a different partner. About 21% wished they’d had more kids. Nineteen percent would have picked a more flexible career. A small percentage admitted to wishing they’d started later. Honesty is complicated when it involves people you love.
Confession #5: She’ll take sleep over sex.
More than half — 53% — said given the choice between a good night’s sleep and mind-blowing sex, sleep wins. When you’re running on empty every single day, this isn’t even a difficult decision.
Confession #6: Technology is a distraction.
Only 5% said their child had actually gotten hurt because they were on their phone. But 18% admitted to close calls. That’s nearly a quarter of moms who were a little too absorbed in their screens at the wrong moment. Guilty, at least once.
Confession #7: She’s medicated her kid before a long trip.
Almost 18% of moms said they’ve given their child something to help them sleep through a long flight or car ride. Eight percent do it occasionally at home just for some quiet. I understand the desperation even if I haven’t gone there personally.
Confession #8: She judges other moms.
Only 12% claimed they never judge. The other 88% admitted they do — silently, but they do. The most common trigger was a bratty child in public. Weight and eating habits also came up. Moms are hard on each other in ways that are worth examining.
Confession #9: She has a favorite child.
Almost 14% of moms surveyed admitted they enjoy one child more than the others — even if they love them equally. One mom put it honestly: she loves them the same but enjoys one more, and she hopes it doesn’t show. That kind of honesty takes courage.
Confession #10: She uses her kids to get out of things.
Eighty-four percent of moms have used their children as a socially acceptable exit from obligations they didn’t want. Forty-five percent do it about once a month. One mom even used it to get out of sex with her husband. Kids are, if nothing else, excellent excuses.
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