In my journey of motherhood, I’ve focused on building confidence in my parenting skills and, more importantly, in myself. I’ve started to tune out the judgmental whispers about my kids’ screen time or their choice to wear a superhero costume to the grocery store. If someone rolls their eyes at my parenting choices, I can brush it off. I’ve taken pride in standing firm against outside negativity.
However, I wasn’t prepared for how I’d react to a sincere compliment. A fellow mom friend recently called me “an easygoing parent,” and I completely lost it—not in a positive way. I spiraled into thoughts that she might be implying I was lazy or an inadequate parent. My husband, calm and slightly amused, reassured me that her comment was straightforward; it had no hidden meanings. She simply meant I was easygoing—nothing more, nothing less.
So why did I overreact to such a harmless statement? The truth is, many of us struggle to accept compliments. Whether it stems from societal pressure, our upbringing, or the media we consume, we often dismiss genuine praise. When someone tells us our children behaved beautifully, we might counter with, “You should’ve seen them at home!” Or we respond with a polite “thank you,” while internally doubting the compliment.
We frequently misinterpret kind words from friends, family, and even strangers. A compliment about our looks often gets tangled in our minds with past insecurities. When someone says our hair looks great, they’re not implying we looked bad before; they’re simply acknowledging our current appearance. Instead of overanalyzing or letting negative thoughts creep in, we should just smile, appreciate the moment, and say “thank you.”
The same principle applies to our parenting. If your friend says your kids were delightful during their visit, believe them. If someone admires your daughter’s princess costume at the park, take it to heart. And when a kind stranger praises your efforts while managing your kids at a store, let that encouragement uplift you.
Let’s commit to accepting compliments without reservation. When someone acknowledges our efforts, we should embrace that praise wholeheartedly and feel proud of ourselves, our choices, and yes, even our hair! As women, we are remarkable beings, filled with strength, grace, and beauty. If someone sees that in us and offers a kind word, we should welcome it and let it boost our spirits.
Moving forward, when someone compliments me or my parenting, I’ll choose to accept it as it is, dismiss the negative chatter in my mind, and simply say “thank you.” And maybe I’ll treat myself to an extra glass of wine, because clearly, I’m doing a great job at this parenting thing.
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In summary, let’s learn to embrace compliments for what they are—genuine acknowledgments of our efforts and qualities. By accepting these kind words, we can foster a more positive self-image and support one another in our parenting journeys.