Motherhood is never easy, or simple. Even if you go to sleep more in love with your children each night, that doesn't mean the daily struggles don't affect you.
After watching my sister become a mother, I can visibly see the kind of toll that it takes on a woman. The lifestyle change is something no one can prepare for. But so many women, just like my sister, do it with a smile on their face.
Although there are so many positive and negative moments in motherhood, the positives are what is so often talked about.
While most would agree that the positives outweigh the negatives, and that's why there are so many women continuing to take on motherhood, the negatives are still extremely present.
Aly Brothers is a single mom who decided to shed light on the bittersweet journey of just one day of motherhood: her day with her two adorable little boys, blond-haired and blue-eyed, but still just kids.
And kids can make life a whole lot sweeter, and a whole lot more stressful too.
Brothers' Facebook post about her day and her feelings, with a very emotional photo attached, is something any mom can relate to.
The judgments she feels, the emotions she tries to suppress, and the balancing act she tries to perfect, are all struggles — struggles that moms deal with every day, and struggles that they should be credited for.
Motherhood is much more than being a loving caretaker — it's a full-time job.
Clearly, her love for her children is immense. Her post that you're about to read below is not discounting the beauty of motherhood. It's simply reminding everyone to stop judging — including moms who judge themselves.
Motherhood is not easy, and no one should have to pretend it is.
With a 3-year-old and a 20-month-old, her hands are full.
Protecting her children's identities is important to her, just as everything in their life is. But, even from the back, you can see how adorable they are.
Protecting them and caring for them is her job every day, whether they're by her side, with a babysitter, or in school.
A mom never stops worrying or thinking about her children.
This is how most people probably see Aly: beautifully put-together, with a smile on her face.
But that's not always how she feels. That's not always how anyone feels.
This, is sometimes how she feels.
This is the selfie that she took after leaving a grocery store and feeling hopeless.
Being judged, talked about, and stressed out by her roller coaster of a day.
Everything about being a mother in this moment amounted to this selfie, and the inspiring caption below.
In this first part of her caption, she explains the realities of what a mom really looks like on the days she has no time for herself — the days she's rushing around with her kids, and feels like she's about to lose control.
She tells us the many obstacles that she had to confront with her kids, herself, and the public, all which I'm sure occurred within an hour or two.
Her emotions can be felt through her words, and she continues to stay strong throughout all of these little things that are piling up.
But the second part is where she loses it. Rightfully so.
She explains the horrible and rude judgments people made and how they made her feel in that moment. They made her feel in a way that she should never have to feel.
People should take this as a reminder to be kind because everyone you know is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
Please SHARE Aly's story with all of your loved ones to support this post and how necessary it is for people to see!
