Three Ways to Embrace Being a “Hot Mess Mom”

hot mess mom, noun: A mom who usually looks disheveled, has things spilling out of her purse and most likely has two different socks on. If you see one in the wild, approach with caution. You may get swept up in her tornado. 

Sometimes I’m a hot mess. Okay, more than sometimes. I have a million things to do each day and twice as many thoughts running through my head. In my unattainable goal to perfectly balance family, life, and work, I forget things like buying a present for a kid’s birthday and find myself running through Target seven minutes before the party starts. Sound familiar? 

But I have embraced being a hot mess mom. And I’ve come up with three ways to just own it. 

Messes are funnier (and more endearing) than perfection.

If you’re caught wearing your shirt inside out, sporting two different shoes or you have a child’s sock stuck to your pant leg, just laugh. Then tell everyone you know about it. Most people have been there, and there’s nothing better than sharing a hot mess mom moment—especially with other moms. 

Surround yourself with other hot mess moms.

Sure, I have a lot of wonderful, super put together mom friends in my life. You know, the ones who always remember their child’s water bottle and have an array of expertly chopped fruits and veggies for a snack. But it’s important to have other sometimes tornado-like mamas like you around to remind you that no one’s perfect, and we’re all doing our best (even if it’s messy!). 

Give yourself a break.

Being a mom is an awesome thing, and it comes with all kinds of messes (you included). So what if you don’t get it right every time? Who cares if you forgot to wash the shampoo out of your hair (again)? You’re wonderful just the way you are. And even if you lock yourself out of the house and have to take your kiddos for pizza instead of making dinner, you are always their best mom. Obviously all of these situations are entirely hypothetical. 

Maybe you’re a mom that has it all together, but chances are we’re all a bit of a “hot mess” sometimes.

And just because we’re a little (or a lot) messy sometimes doesn’t mean we aren’t trying our absolute best. If you’re a hot mess mom, it probably means you’re trying your hardest to be the best you can be. The reason the coffee spilled, the hair didn’t get washed, the laundry didn’t get done is probably because you were too busy being amazing.

Hold your head high and sharpen that swagger. In my opinion, we are better the hot messier we are.