You Might Need to Hear This: You're a GOOD Mom

Laura Nelson shares a reminder of a few things we, as moms, need to hear more often.

You’re a GOOD mom. 

Most of us don’t hear that often enough. But I can guarantee you that no matter how imperfect a mom you are (and we’re ALL imperfect), the mere fact that you’re reading this article tells me that you care about your vocation as a mother AND that you care about your Catholic faith.  

When I was expecting my oldest child, I remember talking to my pediatrician who also happens to be a member of the family. I confided to him how worried I was about being a good mom. His response has stuck with me ever since: “Because you’re worried, I’m not.”   

Merely caring that you’re a good mom helps you to BE a good mom. That being said, we don’t need to give in to worry and anxiety about our vocation. We don’t need to compare ourselves to the moms that “have it all together,” whatever “it” might be. But wanting to be a good mom is an excellent start to being a good mom. 

A good mom LOVES.  

You want what’s best for your children, and that’s a big part of being a good mom. But being a good mom doesn’t start with providing for and protecting your child. It starts with love.   

Sometimes that love is the cuddly, sweet kind of love that kisses boo-boos and gives hugs and snuggles. Sometimes it's the kind of love that teaches responsibility and boundaries. Sometimes the love of a mother has to allow her child to fail in a small way so that they can avoid failing in big ways later in life. And, as they become teens and young adults, the love that a mother has for their child has to transform from a guiding and developing kind of love into a love that accepts them for who they are as God has created them.   

You’re NOT alone. 

You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed or insecure about how you’re raising your children. We all feel that way from time to time. And you’re not alone in the struggle to be a good mom. By finding a community of moms to share stories with, you might find that you’re more typical than you realize. You might enjoy an in-person mothers' group at your local parish or an online community like Catholic Mom to help you connect with other moms where you can receive and give support to each other.   

But you also have spiritual support all around you. Not only do you have a guardian angel that has been tasked with protecting and guiding you, you have the grace of the Sacraments to strengthen you when you’re struggling to love in the way that your child really needs. In addition to that, you have Saint Anne, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Monica, Saint Gianna Molla, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, and so many other saints who were mothers to look to as examples but also to go to for intercession to our Lord. 

Regardless of which saint you choose to entrust your prayers to, there’s one thing that they know about you. You’re a GOOD mom. 

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Copyright 2025 Laura Nelson
Images: Canva