We get our kids for all of 18 years, if we’re lucky. That’s 18 birthdays, 18 Valentine’s Day parties, 18 summers at the pool, and countless days, good times, bad times, and bedtimes in between. Who has time for mother’s guilt?
Watch them while they sleep because they change so fast!
Don’t let their childhood pass you by!
Put down your phone and focus on your kids! While I love my kids to the moon and back, as I am sure you do too, I am tired of being guilted into feeling that I shouldn’t miss even a moment of my kids’ childhood! That’s totally unrealistic, and really, so unhealthy for you as a mom! Lets throw off these expectations that the invisible Perfect Momming Club has put on us, and just be free!
Here are Five Reasons to Ditch the Mother’s Guilt and Just Go have a Good time
You really can only sit and watch your kids for so long before you go crazy
You have to eventually live your life. You eventually will have to look at your phone. Besides, if you watch them for too long, you’ll be way too tempted to start telling them to stop doing this or that. You’ll start to get irritated at the way they make that weird and very purposeful smacking noise when they eat their food. Their whining will start to grate on you, and the nose picking…just don’t. You’ll probably start to twitch if you watch your kids for too long. No matter the joyful look that is on your face in the beginning, it WILL change to irritation and disgust, or at least boredom the longer you stare. Try it and see if I am not right. And with the free time that you have while you are watching them be kids, you will eventually find yourself thinking about what to make for dinner, and what time your husband is coming home. It might even cross your mind to call or text a friend.
You might make your kids little narcissists
I’m no parenting expert, but it’s probably not good for your kids to know that they are constantly being watched and swooned over by you. It seems that this may make them a bit… narcissistic? 
Your life was not meant to live just for your kids
Your life was not meant to be lived solely to enjoy your kids. I mean, your kids are great, but you had a life before them, and if you play your cards right, you’ll have a life after them too. Every waking moment really can not be spent thinking about how much you love your kids. It can’t be spent only supporting your kids. It can’t be spent only doing laundry and housework! It can’t be spent only giving, giving, GIVING to your kids.
No mother ever has had the time to spend every second with their kids.
I promise you that no mother EVER, in any generation has ever had the time, or probably even the desire, to sit and focus their every moment on watching and spending time with their kids. If they did, they certainly didn’t enjoy every minute of it! Don’t get me wrong, My favorite place to be is at home with my kids. But I have been guilted too much into feeling like I should be sitting and playing with my kids constantly. I’ve been guilted into feeling like the years are short and I should not take one moment for granted. I’ve been guilted by the notion that I should be striving to give my kids the best of me because they are innocent and that anything less that I give them is an indication that I am doing something wrong as a mom!
You won’t regret taking some time for yourself
Time is just time, spend it how you choose to and don’t feel guilty if that time is not spent giving every last bit of yourself to your kids. Your life will pass by just as quickly and the days will drag just as much whether or not you spend most of your time and talents on your kids or not. Use your time wisely and don’t waste it on things that don’t matter. Your kids matter, of course. But seriously, take some time to do something for you. Heck, take some time and give it to another mom who needs it. In all honestly, you won’t remember all the days and moments that you spent with your kids anyway. You won’t regret taking some time to invest in yourself. So dear moms, don’t feel like you have to give quite EVERYTHING to your kids. Hold some back for yourself. Save some for your husband, and your friends because they need you also. So go out with your girlfriends. Leave the kids at home for a bit, and ditch the mommy guilt. When you come back, it will make the time you give to them feel that much more purposeful. This post originally appeared on This Simple Life Blog