It’s no secret that modern motherhood feels heavier than ever before.
We are raising children in a world where the expectations placed on mothers have skyrocketed.
We are expected to work as if we don’t have children.
And parent as if we don’t have a job.
The standards are relentless:
Homemade baby food, nutritious meals from scratch, no screen time, immaculately dressed children, a spotless home, polite and well-behaved toddlers.
All while advancing in our careers, maintaining relationships, and somehow also prioritising our own health and mental wellbeing.
It’s no wonder so many mothers are burning out.
And while the demands have increased, the support systems that once made motherhood manageable have crumbled away.
In previous generations, the “village” was a real and tangible thing. Grandparents were often nearby and willing to help. Neighbours knew each other by name and would step in without hesitation. Children grew up surrounded by an extended network of eyes, hands, and hearts.
Today, that village has all but disappeared.
Many mothers live far away from their families.
Some are estranged, while others have parents who are still working, too busy, or simply unwilling to help.
Crime and safety concerns have turned neighbours into strangers.
And even when opportunities to build community arise, the lingering fear of the world’s dangers often holds us back.
We are taught to be cautious – and rightly so – but it leaves us isolated.
The result is that what used to be the work of a village has become the work of two people – often two parents who are both trying to hold down full-time jobs.
And it’s simply too much.
Meanwhile, societal expectations for fathers remain strikingly different.
Even though women have been a vital part of the workforce for decades, the bar for dads is often set much lower.
Small gestures like taking a child to the park or packing a lunchbox are sometimes treated as heroic, while mothers are expected to carry the full mental, emotional, and physical load without complaint.
It’s not just unfair – it’s unsustainable.
Perfection isn’t possible.
It never was.
And it shouldn’t be the goal.
Modern motherhood demands more than any one person should have to give.
It’s time we let go of the illusion that we have to do it all, do it perfectly, and do it alone.
It’s okay to ask for help.
It’s okay to not meet every impossible standard.
And it’s okay to admit that sometimes, this modern way of mothering feels impossibly heavy – because it is.
You are doing more than enough.
You are enough.
