My mom has never tried to convince me to do things her way – or even that there is a “right way” to do anything at all. And still, I often find myself trying so hard to be just like her. She worked part time as my three siblings and I grew up and made attending track meets, school plays, and soccer games a top priority throughout my childhood. She worked, but my perspective as a kid based on the way she prioritized her time was that being a mom was her job.

I had a very happy childhood thanks to the way I was raised. So when I had my son I thought, “I’ll just be like my mom and my kids will be happy too”. I felt compelled to do as my mom had done because that’s what I thought of as the recipe for a “good mom”.

The only problem is, I’m not made of the same stuff my mom is made of. I started my own business in my late 20’s. When I found out I was pregnant, I had just signed a lease on my new office/studio. I was diving headfirst into motherhood and running a business at the same time. Dilemma: how can I be just like my mom if I’m not just like my mom?