The article reflects on the author's journey as a stay-at-home mom, emphasizing the challenges of losing one's identity during the early years of motherhood. Now, with older kids, she values her rediscovered self, embracing passions beyond parenting. Through various personal struggles, including relationship issues and health transformations, she advocates for new mothers to maintain their individuality and interests while raising children. The author admires younger moms who prioritize self-care and encourages them to cherish their identities, suggesting that this balance enhances their parenting experience.
Today, my kids are approaching 17 and 15, and I'd give up almost anything to rock my thumb-sucking baby girl to sleep or hear my toddler son mispronounce 'yogurt' one more time.
I started therapy, made tough decisions to distance myself from my family for mental health reasons, took control of my health and lost 100 pounds, and, most recently, stopped drinking alcohol completely.
I'm still their mom, but it's not the most interesting thing about me, and that makes me a better mom to them both.
I wish I'd had moms like that in my life when I was younger, but since I didn't, I'm always the first to tell new moms it's OK to take time for themselves in whatever form is meaningful for them.
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