Feb. 17, 2026

5 Humbling Lessons I’ve Learned as a Mama

I use this Momplex episode to share some of the most humbling lessons I’ve learned as a mom and to call BS on the idea that we have to be perfect. For years, I believed that every mistake meant I was failing and that everyone was judging me and my kids. I now see mistakes as feedback, not proof that I’m a bad mom. Backed by neuroplasticity and growth mindset, I talk about how our brains—and our lives—are always capable of change. I share real stories about chasing gold stars, comparing my kids to others, taking their behavior personally, and gripping so tightly to their outcomes that I missed the actual moments with them. I also admit how long I put my own life on hold. In this episode, I invite you to drop the shame, live your own life more fully, and model self-compassion and resilience for your kids.

The 5 things I talk about:

  1. Waiting for praise – Depending on others’ validation instead of my own.
  2. Holding my kids to someone else’s timeline – Pushing milestones instead of trusting their pace.
  3. Taking it personally – Making their moods and meltdowns about me.
  4. Being obsessed with their wins and losses – Treating their outcomes like a report card on my parenting.
  5. Waiting on my life because of them – Pausing my own dreams instead of showing them what a fully lived life looks like.