Have you ever felt like the pressure to be the “perfect mom” is crushing you? I know that feeling too well. When my kids were younger, I believed that if I just tried harder—kept the house spotless, cooked the meals, showed up for everything—then maybe everything would turn out okay. But that constant striving nearly broke me. Perfectionism didn’t make me a better mom; it only brought exhaustion, guilt, and disconnection. It took me years to learn that perfection isn’t love—it’s fear disguised as control.