Motherly Stories - Essays About Being A Mom - Motherly
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Motherly Stories

Motherhood changes us. Celebrate the ups and downs with these honest, insightful essays about becoming—and being—a mom.

young mother flying with a toddler holding son and looking through aircraft window

How to deal with a toddler tantrum on a plane

In the short term, I wanted the embarrassment and shame to stop for me. However, in the long run, I want my child to grow up using her voice and embracing all of her feelings, not repressing them.

woman drinking cup of coffee on her couch - empty nester

I wasn’t prepared for the loneliness of empty nesting

I was surprised to be surprised by the emotional and physical pain of this transition.

mom kissing son on cheek- optimistic child

Optimistic kids have parents who do these 6 things

The real magic isn’t in your perfection, but in your humanness. 

mom learning how to stay organized with a newborn at home

I was a struggling new mom—until I remembered this Navy organizational hack

"I remembered a hack I learned during my time in the Navy: the power of the daily orders method, which is the primary method of communicating."

mom and son laughing on the bed playing not stressed about having a clean home

My New Year’s home resolution? To stop stressing about cleaning before having people over

I am choosing to stray away from the ailing need for perfection that often plagues me—and many other moms.

mom kissing her childs hand while spending holidays in the hospital

To the mama in the hospital this holiday season

I am sending you love as you unwrap medical diagnoses instead of gifts.

nonbinary parent and daughter hugging in bed

I’m a nonbinary mom. This is what I want people to know

While I may not feel comfortable wearing the label of “woman”, I possess no greater title than “mother".

mom comforting her son colorado marshall fire

The Marshall Fire forever changed the way I parent

Blindsided by the effects of a natural disaster, my son walked away with an unshakeable fear of the unknown—and I’ve spent months working with therapists on how to help him feel safe in this world again.

mom showing how to minimize tantrums by calming her daughter down during christmas

Holidays are a recipe for tears and tantrums—here’s 4 ways to minimize the crash and burn

“If you can develop a sense of the patterns that are more likely to trigger tantrums for your child, you can play a little defense!"

formula feeding mom feeding her newborn baby a bottle

8 things not to say to a formula-feeding mom—and 4 things you can

Being a formula-feeding mom is challenging in a society that heavily promotes, and sometimes even glamorizes, the breastfeeding journey.

mom and daughter laying in bed laughing co-sleeping with older kids

My 11-year-old still sleeps with me—I love it, but my husband hates it

I’m sure that some day she will grow out of it, but I hope it isn’t soon.

woman admiring her daughter showing what it is like having a child diagnosed with autism

6 things I wish I’d known when my child was diagnosed with autism

I only wish someone could have told me that we would find our place, we would be supported and my child would thrive.

grief-stricken woman sitting and staring out of a window

The unexpected grief triggers I encountered after my pregnancy loss

Although I knew losing a baby would be emotional, I don’t think I realized just how many triggers I would encounter in the months that followed my pregnancy loss.

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