Moms Are Finally Revealing Their Deepest, Darkest Secrets

ByShawna Cohen

Here’s the thing that nobody can understand prior to becoming a parent: what it’s like to never have a break. Oh, sure, we can go on kid-less vacations or more frequent date nights, movie nights, girls’ nights out the list goes on. We can escape to the gym, the nail salon, a cozy little cafe. But, I’m sorry, we are still “on call” during these seemingly relaxing times. It’s called being a parent.

By no means am I complaining about this reality (okay, well, maybe just a little bit). I chose to have kids and I’ve never once regretted that decision. But I’ll admit that the most jarring things about becoming a parent for me, anyway is having to be accessible 24/7 (even when you’re not present physically, you are always there emotionally. It’s like we need a little ‘off’ switch in our brains).

So, like most moms, I often get overwhelmed. And, yet, admitting this is still somehow taboo among certain circles. Which is why I was happy to read the results of a new joint survey by TODAY.com and Parenting.com, which questioned more than 26,o00 moms about their secrets and confessions. The results show that moms still walk around with a slew of secret emotions and feelings that they wouldn’t dare say out loud. Some examples pulled from TODAY.com:

”I cry myself to sleep sometimes because I am overwhelmed and I don’t feel like I can talk to anyone about it.”

“I am managing to hold it all together and still be sane. In reality I am on the verge of a breakdown at any time and who knows what is going to push me over the edge!”

”I honest to goodness do not like my son most of the time and knowing that KILLS me.”

”People frequently remark that I seem to have everything ”˜so together.’ I don’t!  I find myself crying in the car on my way to work because I am so overwhelmed.”

While some might interpret these statements as disturbing, I find them to be so refreshingly honest. In fact, they reinforce the idea that we as moms should not be afraid to share our true feelings about parenthood (how else do we expect to receive support?). I’m lucky enough to have a group of tell-it-like-it-is friends who have no problem admitting that their child constantly annoys them, for example, or that they’re disappointed about not having a girl. To me, that is the true definition of a modern mom someone who’s not afraid to be herself (with all her imperfections).

Here are some other interesting stats from the survey:

  • 71 percent of moms said if they could do it over again, they’d do it differently (23 percent would choose another spouse; four percent questioned their decision to have children altogether).
  • 53 percent of moms would take a good night of sleep over mind-blowing sex any day.
  • Almost 18 percent of moms surveyed  medicate their child before a long car trip or a flight. Almost eight percent  said they sometimes do it on a regular night at home, just to get some peace and quiet.
  • 88 percent admit to judging other moms.
  • 44 percent of moms would rather be 15 pounds thinner than add 15 points to their child’s IQ.
  • One in ten wishes their child was the opposite sex and of those moms, 60 percent have boys

There, don’t you feel better already?

(Photo: Brand X Pictures)

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