“I’m sorry.” I said to a lady in the grocery store as my daughter swung her arms and ran down the aisle making noises only a mom could love. 

“Sorry for what?”  She asked me. 

“Oh, for her running around like a child.” 

The sweet lady cracked a smile and replied, “She is a child.”

And a child she is. A child that I don’t need or ever want to be “sorry” for or about. That short conversation made me feel pretty silly. It also made me realize that I’m done apologizing for things that I’m not sorry for. 

Moms have this bad habit of apologizing for just about everything that isn’t perfect or doesn’t go as planned. We apologize for being late. For our house not being spic and span. For needing time for ourselves. We apologize for our kids. Being kids.  It’s time to stop letting the world know that we feel bad about ourselves for silly things. It’s time to accept yourself as the awesome mama you are. It’s time to stop apologizing for things that don’t warrant an apology.

This is spot on. If you're a mom with mom guilt you need to read this. Great motherhood advice! Stop apologizing for everything that isn't perfect or doesn't go as planned. You, mama, are doing a great job!

99 Things Moms Should Stop Apologizing For

  1. Your children’s sleep schedules
  2. for not doing things you feel like you “should”
  3. for not being all things to all people
  4. for not responding to people right away who call or text
  5. for needing time for yourself
  6. for saying no to stuff you just don’t want to do
  7. for looking like a hot mess
  8. for letting your 3-year-old have a bottle
  9. for needing time for yourself
  10. for feeling shitty about your body
  11. for dinner not being what everyone likes
  12. for not taking a work call when you’re busy with your kids
  13. for being scared about the world’s uncertainties
  14. for wanting to go to the gym on weeknights
  15. for being late to something non-urgent
  16. for asking your husband to do more around the house
  17. for not staying late at work because you have a family to get home to
  18. for having 3-month-old french fries laying around your car
  19. emotional outbursts due to being mentally exhausted
  20. for not cooking a nutritious meal every night
  21. for being too busy and exhausted at the same time
  22. for taking time for self-care
  23. for putting your kids before socializing
  24. for running the dryer three times before you finally have time to fold the clothes
  25. for not giving a rip about what others think about your parenting
  26. for choosing a child’s health and happiness over a career
  27. for being a working mom
  28. for being a stay at home mom
  29. for taking time off from work for kids activities
  30. for your parenting choices
  31. for not always having time to clean
  32. for feeling overwhelmed
  33. for wanting to have only one child
  34. for wanting to have more children
  35. for how you look in a swimsuit
  36. for not always having your shit together
  37. for wearing leggings all weekend
  38. for rocking a messy mom bun every day
  39. skipping social events at work
  40. for not losing the baby weight
  41. for your children’s behavior
  42. for needing a break
  43. for putting yourself first
  44. for standing up for what you believe in
  45. for needing help
  46. for crying when things are tough
  47. for needing a tank of Diet Coke to get through the day
  48. for choosing sleep over sex
  49. for wanting your husband to put the kids to bed so you can relax
  50. for not knowing how to balance everything perfectly
  51. pumping at work
  52. for your child’s public temper tantrums
  53. for existing in space 
  54. parenting choices
  55. for being right
  56. for not remembering everything
  57. for forgetting something
  58. for your child’s shyness, anxiety, etc.
  59. for not feeling like you’ve done enough
  60. for being impatient
  61. for asking your husband for help
  62. for the mismatched socks on your toddler
  63. for being bluntly honest
  64. for wanting to veg on the couch all day and watch Netflix
  65. for not enjoying every moment. 
  66. for taking a much-needed nap
  67. for taking an extra long shower
  68. for not wanting to exercise
  69. for calling in sick
  70. for sending a store bought snack to school
  71. for feeling overwhelmed
  72. for letting your kids have too much screen time
  73. for asking for clarification
  74. for not giving your children everything they want
  75. for bribing our children
  76. for needing a flexible work schedule
  77. for letting your child watch youtube at a restaurant
  78. for talking about your child a lot
  79. for serving leftovers for dinner
  80. for being upset
  81. for trying to do the impossible
  82. wanting to hide in the closet for 5 minutes of quiet time
  83. for sleeping in
  84. for not having time to do a new project
  85. for having toys everywhere
  86. for rushing through the day
  87. for things totally out of your control
  88. for being sad
  89. for being honest
  90. for being sick
  91. for your child’s bodily fluid
  92. for feeling depressed
  93. for forgetting picture day
  94. for being tired
  95. for being overprotective
  96. for skipping lunch
  97. for having to leave early
  98. for sharing your opinion
  99. for complaining 

The truth is, is that we’re all trying to do the best we can. 

Saying sorry all the time only makes us look insecure and defensive. It’s subconsciously seeking the approval from others. It’s asking for forgiveness for living your life. Although some things warrant an apology, (I am not condoning rudeness!) you don’t need to be sorry about things that merit no real apologies. Mama, you are wonderful just the way you are. 

What’s one thing you want to stop apologizing about? Tell us about it in the comments!