Sunshine & Mom Guilt

There’s a universal truth that all moms—no matter how zen, organized, or caffeine-fueled—can agree on: mom guilt is real. I have yet to meet a single mother who hasn’t felt that creeping little voice saying, “I should be doing more.” It’s like it’s built into our DNA, right next to the gene that lets us run on three hours of sleep and recognize a cry from 500 yards away.

Just recently, the girls finished "school"—and by school, I mean their Montessori preschool that somehow manages to wear them out Monday through Friday. With that chapter wrapped and summer officially here, the guilt rolled in like a tidal wave… with a floatie on.

The pool is open. The sun is out. The kids are READY. And what am I doing? Handing off pool duty to my husband so I can answer emails, fold laundry, and “clean” the kitchen—aka hide in the pantry with a snack (hey, multitasking!).

Cue the second-guessing.
Should I be the one doing cannonballs and reapplying sunscreen every 12 minutes? Should I be cutting fruit into stars and pretending I love sidewalk chalk?

Probably. But also… maybe not always.

Because here’s the thing: the moments I do spend with them—really spend with them—feel extra magical. There’s something about the balance that makes the snuggles sweeter, the giggles louder, and the memories a little stickier (sometimes literally, thanks to the popsicles).

So here’s to a summer of doing our best, letting go of the guilt (just a little), and remembering that love doesn’t keep score.
Also, let’s be honest—dad’s sunscreen technique? Still a work in progress. But he’s trying. And honestly, that’s all any of us can really do.

Love, Gemma and Jules’s mom