Being a parent - mother, father or any guardian - is a full time job. It requires our full heart and mind and often our full capacity to raise and nurture a child into becoming a compassionate and heart-centred individual.
But we still have an identity outside of parenthood or motherhood, and taking time to honour that is important.
These prompts will help share the common humanity of motherhood and get the discussion flowing on how to preserve that sense of self outside of being ‘mom’.
- How would your child describe you as a mom? How about as a person outside of the home?
- Describe a time when you felt like you lost yourself in the chaos of parenthood. What did you do to re-centre yourself?
- Imagine a child-free day just for you - what would you do, where would you go, and how would you reconnect with yourself?
- What is something about motherhood you weren’t expecting? What have you learned from the bond you have with your child(ren) about yourself?
- We have all experienced "mom guilt". What are the times you’ve felt this in your life? How can you reframe the triggers of ‘mom guilt’ and put it behind you? Also, do you believe that you are able to give your best when your own cup ‘is full’?
- Write a gratitude journal entry focusing on the blessings of motherhood and the joy that your children bring into your life.
- What hobbies and interests have you put on hold that you can bring back into your life now?
- Including the title of ‘mother’, list other titles/values that describe who you are.
