Were Totally Following Michelle Obamas Advice for Quashing Working Mom Guilt

Were Totally Following Michelle Obamas Advice for Quashing Working Mom Guilt Since she left the White House, Michelle Obama has opened up about everything from infertility to leaning out, and we cant get enough of her unfiltered take on the trials and tribulations of working motherhood.The latest example In a QA on Instagram Stories, the former first lady tackled questions on everything from self-care to parenting, but it was her brilliant advice on dealing with working mom guilt that really stole our hearts (again).Lets be honest, the guilt never goes away, she said. But what Ive had to learn is youre not being a bad mom because youre pursuing some of your dreams and as women we have to give ourselves permission to be fulfilled on our own.Can you hear us singing hallelujah?Working moms know all too well how easy it can be to succumb to feelings of guilt and inadequacy as a parentespecially when late nights or geschftliches miteinander trips keep us away from our kids. But, just as M ichelle says, we deserve the right to chase our dreams and pursue our passions. After all, the vast majority of dads get to have a life outside the homeand most dont feel guilty about it either.In fact, plenty of studies confirm that kids raised by working moms turn out just fine. Not to mention, men raised by working moms tend to have more egalitarian views about gender roles and spend an extra 50 minutes per week caring for family membersso working moms raising sons are actually doing a solid for their sons future spouse And girls raised by working moms get to see up close what it looks like when women work hard and achieve professional success.Of course, letting go of guilt is easier said than done, but Michelle also has advice for trying to conquer it all You cant. And thats OK. Marriage still aint equal yall. It aint equal. I tell women that whole you can have it allmmm, nope, not at the saatkorn time. Thats a lie, she told a sold-out crowd in New York City in December, while p romoting her bestselling memoir, Becoming. Its not always enough to lean in because that shit doesnt work all the time, she said to uproarious laughter and applause.So, to recap You deserve a chance to chase career success. But youll never be able to have it all, at the same time, no matter how hard you lean in. So, do your best and let go of the guilt.OK, we may have extrapolated on the brde part, but all in all, we feel like Michelles message to working moms is to give ourselves a breakand we couldnt agree more. Audrey Goodson KingoThis story originally appeared on Working Mother. Working Mother is a mentor, role model and advocate for the countrys more than 17 million moms who are devoted to their families and committed to their careers. Through our website, magazine, research, radio and powerful events, Working Mother provides its readers with the community, solutions and strategies they need to thrive.