We can love our kids AND be completely burnt-out. One doesn’t negate the other.

In motherhood, we meet so many moments and topics where we’ll feel required to ‘choose one’ rather than feel both/all.

And if we feel like we can only ever choose one, we will, most likely, choose the socially acceptable one. The palatable one. The Good Mother one.

If we can only choose one: We can only be grateful. Fine.

It’s a restrictive straight jacket - cutting truth off at the knees. Leaving us with no where to go, or grow.

But our actual experiences exist in rich layers. A kaleidoscope of feelings and truths about our reality can exist side-by-side.

It’s a great thing to flesh out.

Why? Because single labels for our experiences can isolate us, stunt meaningful connection with others, minimise our needs, stop us from prioritising ourselves and prevent us from seeking support we deserve. Single labels keep us stuck and small. And they’re not great for maternal health outcomes.

Letting seemingly opposing things exist expands what’s possible in terms of being honest, having rich layered experiences and calling in support.

What the layers can look like:

We can love our kids AND be completely burnt-out.

We can relish their existence AND have an almost visceral need to rest.

We can ache with joy for them AND ache in weariness to have to get up one more time.

We can feel their softness fully AND feel our own frustration at the request of one more snack.

We can be grateful AND bored, lonely, exhausted, overloaded, overwhelmed, overstimulated all in one breath.

And none of it is a reflection of our commitment to or our love for these delicious littles.

We contain multitudes.

We can honour space for it all, and invite grace for our very human needs.

What are all the things you are currently feeling in motherhood?

Where could some support or scaffolding meet you to make the load lift a little lighter?