The Mommy Rat Race: Break the Cycle of Mommy Competition

Don’t you just cringe when you hear your neighbor say, “My child slept through the night and he’s only six weeks old!” or “Wow, I can fit into my Levi’s now” and she’s only had her baby a few months ago? Granted, we all want to be excited for moms who have a fairly easy time with their babies; however, if you are going to do a little bragging of your own (which is a God-given right as a mommy!) follow up by talking about an area in which you are pretty lame. A perfect mom is hard for anyone to bond with. We feel we can never live up to that type of mother so we shy away with intimidation.

However, a mother who is confident and a tad self-deprecating is alluring. She shows us her strengths as well as her weaknesses, which allows others to bond with her in a non-competitive way. The more women continue the cycle of female or mommy competition the less chances we have to build a universal female support system.

Women need women. Little girls need to be taught to celebrate the successes of other girls while still embracing their differences. If women support other women, and I mean confident women, then our daughters will learn that there is no place for clique-ish, catty behavior and that others who exceed far beyond us shall be applauded. This stance starts in the home and is taught by mothers.

Kimberley Clayton Blaine is a national parenting expert and a licensed Family and Child Therapist who specializes in working with children ages newborn to six years old. Kimberley is the founder and executive producer of a grassroots webshow, called www.TheGoToMom.TV. Kimberley is a national speaker and teaches Early Childhood Brain Development and Positive Discipline Strategies at UCLA Extension Education Department.

Read Kimberley’s new book, Mommy Confidence: 8 Easy Steps to Reclaiming Balance, Motivation and Your Inner Diva at www.mommyconfidence.com

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