Goodbye Grown Up Guilt

Here at Gymboree Play & Music Cheam, we love meeting so many parents and getting to be part of your little one’s development and growth, but we so often hear from you guys that you’re feeling guilty about your parenting.

So why are grown ups feeling guilty?

Well often it’s social misconceptions in society that help to perpetuate the guilt felt by parents. One such for new mums is the formula vs. breastfeeding debate which causes many new mums who can’t breastfeed, or choose not to, to feel terrible about their decision. We’re here to tell you that as a parent, no matter what you choose, if it’s the best decision for you, it’s the best decision. Whilst we know that breastfeeding has many benefits for both mum and baby, it’s not an easy journey for many mums and in cases where little ones have tongue ties or mums have had health problems, formula provides a sometimes life saving, fully nutritious alternative.

Another example of parenting guilt we see a lot is particularly surrounding behaviour management in little ones. It can be very difficult as a grown up to feel like you’re making the right decisions as there’s no handbook, and it can also be really easy to compare yourself to other parents and their children. Whilst it’s great to have reference and support of other parents, each child is individual and the way they react to things will be different, so it’s really important to keep that in mind. And let’s face it, if the occasional chocolate biscuit bribe does the job, who are we to argue!? 🙂  Here at Gymboree Play & Music Cheam we encourage positivity in our class and love to praise your little ones for actions such as tidying.

Of course sometimes feelings of guilt can take over and anxiety can develop. If you’re struggling with these feelings or feel you may be struggling with post-natal depression, which can affect both mothers and fathers, we recommend taking a look at this NCT website article and speaking to your GP for further advice.

And remember, practicing regular self care, whether it be a cup of tea when you can snatch a moment, a nice bath for yourself or having a grown up night with friends or your partner occasionally… this is a necessity as a parent. Looking after yourself should never be a source of guilt, after all looking after yourself means you can then give well to your little one.

We hope you found this blog post interesting and helpful and remember we’re here to support you in classes!