Confessions of a Lash Artist: Mummy Guilt
I see you mumma, trying your hardest to run a business and raise your kids to the best of your ability. Working from drop off to pick up and drop off again.
I am a child of divorce, the messy kind. The kind where children are used as bargaining chips, long legal battles that have lasted over a decade and villains on all fronts.
My husband, in comparison is from the traditional marriage. His parents are together celebrating their retirement and very much in love.
Both our parents worked hard to afford to raise us. My mum, brother and I struggled hard. I remember reducing my mum to tears being excited about a food parcel being delivered. But this strong resilient mother worked her bum off and raised us as best she could.
I get asked about mummy guilt a lot. “I don’t know how you do it Nina” is something I hear more times that I’d like to admit.
I’ve also been the victim of mummy shaming. People insinuating directly (and sometimes not so directly) that being a working mum makes me some how less. That I love my children less, or that I’m too selfish.
Society tells us the mother should stay home, maybe have a part time hobby (because of course her children are her “job” aren’t they?) while the men are free to live full careers and fulfilling job roles. This is extremely outdated.
I refuse to teach my daughter that narrative. She has 2 working parents and this shows her that her upbringing is not soulely one parents role.
My daughter is taught that her posibilities and career choices are endless. Much the same as my sons are as a male.
If she chooses to work hard to build a company, or become anything she dreams of, she has our full support. If she chooses to stay at home, raising babies or kittens, I’ll support that too.
Mummy shaming is old... it’s been done to death, don’t beat yourself up ladies.
I have never felt stronger as a business owner, and as a mum.
Love from Nina xx