Hey there, beautiful Momma. It’s Cheniece. I want you to pause for a moment, take a deep breath in, and let it out slowly.
I see you right now. Maybe you’re hiding in the bathroom or sitting in your car in the Target parking lot. Or maybe you finally got a moment of quiet after everyone went to bed.
Wherever you are, I’m SO glad you’re taking these few minutes for yourself…
First, I want you to know something important: You’re doing so much better than you think you are. That meltdown this morning? The one that made you feel like you were failing? That wasn’t a reflection of your parenting. That was your child struggling to process a world that wasn’t built for them. And you showed up. Even when it was hard. Even when you were tired, you showed up.
Remember when you became a mom and you thought you knew EXACTLY what it would look like?..
None of us signed up for IEP meetings, or therapy appointments, or explaining to strangers why our child behaves the way they do. But here you are, doing it all. Learning a whole new language of advocacy and support. That’s not failure. That’s extraordinary strength.
I know you compare yourself to other moms sometimes. The one whose children stand quietly in line at the grocery store. The ones who seem to have it all together. But trust me on this: Every mom is fighting her own battles.
Yours are just more visible somedays.
Your worth isn’t measured by how your child behaves in public. Your success isn’t determined by how many meltdowns happen today. Your value doesn’t decrease when you’re exhausted and overwhelmed.
Here’s what I need you to remember:
You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to ask for help. You are allowed to have needs. You are allowed to say No. You are allowed to prioritize your well-being. You are allowed to find joy even on the hardest days...
The truth is, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It’s necessary. Your children need you whole. Not perfect.
So right now, in this moment, I want you to put your hand on your heart. Feel it beating. That’s the rhythm of your strength, your resilience, your love.
Tomorrow won’t be perfect. There WILL be challenges. There will be moments that test your patience and break your heart. But there will also be tiny victories, unexpected giggles and moments of connection that remind you why this journey, this UnCommon path of motherhood, is so profoundly worth it…
You’ve got this, Momma.
NOT because you’ll do it flawlessly, but because you’ll keep showing up day after day with that big heart of yours... I’m right here with you. Stumbling. Learning. Growing... We’re in this together.
Now, straighten those shoulders. Lift that beautiful chin and go be the mother only YOU can be. You are seen. You are valued. You are enough.
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The UnCommon Design Podcast celebrates the complex journey of raising neurodivergent children while reclaiming our identities beyond caregiving. Hosted by Cheniece Patrick, mother of two neurodivergent children and advocate for parental well-being.
