Comments on: on motherhood and happiness http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596 Happy. Mother. You really can use both words in the same sentence. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:24:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: salina http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-3186 salina Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:08:30 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-3186 I did not know what happiness was until I was a mother. I love being with my children. Good, Bad and In Between. I did not know what happiness was until I was a mother. I love being with my children. Good, Bad and In Between.

]]> By: melanie http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1280 melanie Tue, 05 May 2009 03:07:14 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1280 part of the reason i blog is to remind myself that funny and sweet things happen and those are the things that make life enjoyable. that's why we get into this gig in the first place. thanks for the reminder... part of the reason i blog is to remind myself that funny and sweet things happen and those are the things that make life enjoyable. that’s why we get into this gig in the first place. thanks for the reminder…

]]> By: angie http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1290 angie Tue, 05 May 2009 01:23:57 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1290 Great post! I think my life was more shallow before I had children. That makes me happy. My children, real people that they are, are delightful. Great post! I think my life was more shallow before I had children. That makes me happy. My children, real people that they are, are delightful.

]]> By: Meagan http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1289 Meagan Sun, 03 May 2009 23:01:27 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1289 Christy, I think it would be just plain weird if anyone were blissfully happy all the time. I think what I'm talking about is more like being content/satisfied with your life overall--and if you have kids, it follows that that includes your life as a parent. There are certain aspects of parenthood I'm not thrilled about--and I've never felt like I can't complain about them, either in real life or online, to be honest. But I do feel like people think I'm pulling their leg if I admit to being a basically happy person and happy mom. Like that makes me either a) deranged or b) not very smart or ambitious. Neither of which is true. I hope. mommyknows, I had the same experience! I couldn't know the details before having kids, but I had no doubt that motherhood would be hard. I guess I have my mom to thank for that; she was always very real, but I never got the feeling that I was a burden to her, or that she wasn't happy as a mom. Just that I could be a pain at times :) Christy, I think it would be just plain weird if anyone were blissfully happy all the time. I think what I’m talking about is more like being content/satisfied with your life overall–and if you have kids, it follows that that includes your life as a parent. There are certain aspects of parenthood I’m not thrilled about–and I’ve never felt like I can’t complain about them, either in real life or online, to be honest. But I do feel like people think I’m pulling their leg if I admit to being a basically happy person and happy mom. Like that makes me either a) deranged or b) not very smart or ambitious. Neither of which is true. I hope.

mommyknows, I had the same experience! I couldn’t know the details before having kids, but I had no doubt that motherhood would be hard. I guess I have my mom to thank for that; she was always very real, but I never got the feeling that I was a burden to her, or that she wasn’t happy as a mom. Just that I could be a pain at times :)

]]> By: suburbancorrespondent http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1288 suburbancorrespondent Sun, 03 May 2009 03:55:52 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1288 My mom was very unhappy, and I used to think it was her fault. But as a grown-up and a mom myself, I can see it had nothing to do with us. Well, maybe we exacerbated it a bit... I am only happy as a mom. I feel that I found myself once I had little ones to take care of. I know that is very un-PC, but there it is. And that doesn't mean that I spend every single minute serving my children! But their love is delightful; and as far as the chaos and stress go, that all makes the moments alone to myself all that more delightful. My mom was very unhappy, and I used to think it was her fault. But as a grown-up and a mom myself, I can see it had nothing to do with us. Well, maybe we exacerbated it a bit…

I am only happy as a mom. I feel that I found myself once I had little ones to take care of. I know that is very un-PC, but there it is. And that doesn’t mean that I spend every single minute serving my children! But their love is delightful; and as far as the chaos and stress go, that all makes the moments alone to myself all that more delightful.

]]> By: Christy http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1287 Christy Sun, 03 May 2009 01:51:18 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1287 Hmmm. I don't think I agree. I think that in the "real" world, everyone around me seems blissfully happy (ok, there's one friend who isn't, but everyone else). I think the unhappiness may be magnified online in part because those of us who aren't always blissfully happy need a more anonymous place to connect. It's still not ok to complain about being a mom unless you're on a sitcom. I think motherhood is like anything else... broccoli, math, travel, social settings. Some people just take to it easier than others. So I think that if you're feeling happy and fulfilled, go ahead and shout it. But don't be surprised if some of us give you dirty looks. It's not personal. =} Hmmm. I don’t think I agree. I think that in the “real” world, everyone around me seems blissfully happy (ok, there’s one friend who isn’t, but everyone else). I think the unhappiness may be magnified online in part because those of us who aren’t always blissfully happy need a more anonymous place to connect. It’s still not ok to complain about being a mom unless you’re on a sitcom.

I think motherhood is like anything else… broccoli, math, travel, social settings. Some people just take to it easier than others. So I think that if you’re feeling happy and fulfilled, go ahead and shout it. But don’t be surprised if some of us give you dirty looks. It’s not personal. =}

]]> By: jodifur http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1286 jodifur Sun, 03 May 2009 01:34:42 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1286 Great post. I love being a mom. And I specifically love being a WORKING MOM. And I just wrote a post about how sick I am of people trying to make me feel bad for that. Yes it is hard and sometimes it is really, really hard but it is also really, really great. Great post. I love being a mom. And I specifically love being a WORKING MOM. And I just wrote a post about how sick I am of people trying to make me feel bad for that.

Yes it is hard and sometimes it is really, really hard but it is also really, really great.

]]> By: Jenn B http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1285 Jenn B Sun, 03 May 2009 01:24:28 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1285 so 'good' to hear! i try to focus more on the good points of parenting mostly b/c i assume we all know the hard parts & need reminding that there are plenty of good ones...though i suppose both are important, since you can start to feel like a freak either way when all you hear is one side... so ‘good’ to hear! i try to focus more on the good points of parenting mostly b/c i assume we all know the hard parts & need reminding that there are plenty of good ones…though i suppose both are important, since you can start to feel like a freak either way when all you hear is one side…

]]> By: Maria http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1284 Maria Sun, 03 May 2009 01:11:01 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1284 Loved this post. So many good points. Loved this post. So many good points.

]]> By: mommyknows http://thehappiestmom.com/?p=596&cpage=1#comment-1291 mommyknows Sun, 03 May 2009 01:08:17 +0000 http://meaganfrancis.com/?p=596#comment-1291 I love to tell the crazy stories, mostly for comic relief. I tell the sweet ones too. I love my kids, I love staying home, I love telling their stories good and bad. I'm always fascinated when people say, "motherhood is so hard, no one told me". Didn't they have mothers? Grandmothers? Was life always perfect when they were kids? Mine wasn't! I knew what coming, and I think my mother even wished it on me a few times! I love to tell the crazy stories, mostly for comic relief. I tell the sweet ones too.

I love my kids, I love staying home, I love telling their stories good and bad.

I’m always fascinated when people say, “motherhood is so hard, no one told me”. Didn’t they have mothers? Grandmothers? Was life always perfect when they were kids? Mine wasn’t! I knew what coming, and I think my mother even wished it on me a few times!

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