4 Things I Gave Up To Become a Better Parent

Mothers Groups are toxic.

Source: Brittany Collette, Unsplash

1. I Gave Up Trying To Make ‘Mum Friends’

‘Have you made any new ‘Mum friends’ yet?’ — a question I was frequently asked during the first year of my son's life.

I’d heard you could make ‘lifelong friends’ from the local Mothers Groups, but they didn’t really work for me.

What I saw was a gang of anxious, insecure new parents all trying to find their groove with their own baby while comparing themselves to each other.

So, I passed on the Mothers Group invites.

My alternative? Trying to ‘pick up’ new Mum friends in the playground — which was way out of my comfort zone as an introvert.

So, I took the pressure off making friends and instead…

I focused on building a relationship with my baby.

I spent a time alone getting to know him — going for walks, playing, feeding etc, where I could be fully present and building attachment.

I was still keen to learn from other parents and connect, but at a ‘safe’ distance, away from judgement and without the pressure of playdates.