--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s harder than you think to admit your…" description: "\"“It’s harder than you think to admit your even occasional dissatisfaction as a mother without feeling instant guilt, an immediate sensation of shame fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/andrea-j-buchanan-35182_mother_it-s-harder-than-you-think-to-admit-your_1882352.jpg" --- # It’s harder than you think to admit your even occasional… ![“It’s harder than you think to admit your even occasional dissatisfaction as a mother without feeling instant guilt, an immediate sensation of shame for even suggesting you might not be happy when you’ve got a wonderful healthy child in this world who depends on you and loves you no matter what…” quote by Andrea J. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/andrea-j-buchanan-35182_mother_it-s-harder-than-you-think-to-admit-your_1882352.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/andrea-j-buchanan-35182_mother_it-s-harder-than-you-think-to-admit-your_1882352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/andrea-j-buchanan-35182_mother_it-s-harder-than-you-think-to-admit-your_1882352.jpg) > ““It’s harder than you think to admit your even occasional dissatisfaction as a mother without feeling instant guilt, an immediate sensation of shame for even suggesting you might not be happy when you’ve got a wonderful healthy child in this world who depends on you and loves you no matter what. It’s almost impossible to separate your “bad” feelings about the normal frustrations of post-baby life from your “good” feelings about the very baby who instigated the transformation. But it’s not realistic or healthy to deny the fact that a mother is a complicated person—or to deny that a mother is a person at all.”” [Andrea J. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-j-buchanan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mothers often feel guilt and shame for negative emotions, yet must accept their complexity and the baby’s role in their growth. **In simple terms:** Mothers feel guilty for feeling unhappy, but must accept both good and bad feelings. Key Takeaway Accept all emotions and seek support without self‑judgment. Themes parenthood mental health guilt self‑acceptance family dynamics Mood reflective empathetic hopeful Type personal psychological When to use this quote - parenting groups - therapy - mindful journaling - open family communication Key Concepts Emotional complexity societal expectations self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - How can mothers differentiate between healthy self‑care and perceived selfishness? - What resources help normalize complex maternal emotions? A Different Perspective Guilt can be reinforced by cultural narratives, hindering honest self‑reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deny Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny-mother-2666998/) [Dissatisfaction Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissatisfaction-mother-2666999/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-complicated-915914/) [Mother Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-feeling-1634443/) [Mother Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-person-365716/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [I think that, when you play a mother, whether you play a bad mother or a not so great mother or an amazing mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-mendes/i-think-that-when-you-play-a-mother-whether-you-play-a-bad-mother-or/) [Eva Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-mendes/) > [“It was easier with Mother--always had been--less complicated, less treacherous. 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She was also the person that had messed me up the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-higginson/my-mother-was-the-person-i-loved-most-in-this-world-she-was-also-the/) [Rachel Higginson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-higginson/) > [When you talk with your mother you are one person; when you go to the bank or you're with your girlfriend you are another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-m-ller/when-you-talk-with-your-mother-you-are-one-person-when-you-go-to-the/) [Roland Møller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-m-ller/) > [“You can't deceive your own mother. 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Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-j-buchanan/) > [“for the most part, my peers, like me, have embarked on the eternal compromise that is dealing with a toddler. We are no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-j-buchanan/for-the-most-part-my-peers-like-me-have-embarked-on-the-eternal/) [Andrea J. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-j-buchanan/) > [“Pre-baby I used to fantasize about winning the lottery, or becoming deliriously famous and rich. Now I fantasize about sleep. I fantasize about slumber…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-j-buchanan/pre-baby-i-used-to-fantasize-about-winning-the-lottery-or-becoming/) [Andrea J. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-j-buchanan/) > [“I will feel the pang of separation when she is two, when she is twelve, when she is twenty. My daughter will tackle other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-j-buchanan/i-will-feel-the-pang-of-separation-when-she-is-two-when-she-is-twelve/) [Andrea J. 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I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/) [Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [My mother was strong-willed, demanding, and very supportive all at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/my-mother-was-strong-willed-demanding-and-very-supportive-all-at-the/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Everything comes home, my mother used to say; every word spoken, every shadow cast, every footprint in the sand. 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