Work. Kids. Guilt. Repeat.

Hi mamas-

You know better than anyone that being a working mom sometimes feels like a cruel joke. And some seasons are just extra chaotic (looking at you, back-to-school and Maycember), but truthfully? The pace never really lets up. This week we’re tackling some of the biggest struggles that come up again and again for us: the elusive work-life balance, the endless need for hacks just to function 🤪, and that ever-present cloud of mom guilt.

So much of our struggle can be traced to that quote above— we’re essentially trying to do things on our own, rather than relying on and building our support system. It doesn’t help that we live in a society that glorifies carrying it all and one that doesn’t really support families.

As always, we’re not here to fix everything (if only!), but we are here to make things feel a little more doable, and remind you that you’re absolutely not alone in this.

Also, congrats to the five lucky winners from our Beach House Rules book giveaway. We’re still waiting to hear from Heather Bowman and Emily Wood—ladies, reply to this email by EOW with your mailing address so we can get the books to you.

Enjoy!

-Paula (Founder, CARRY™ Media)

 This week in The CARRY™ ALL, we’re talking about:

• ⚖️ When There’s No Work-Life Balance  

• ⚡️Mom Hacks to Get it Done 

• 😑 Dealing with Mom Guilt

THE BIG 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣

1️⃣ ⚖️ When There’s No Work-Life Balance

As we write this newsletter throughout the year, a few things become glaringly clear: working moms (and, let’s face it, moms in general) are constantly overwhelmed. We talk about the craziness around the holidays, as well as “Maycember”, plus insanity during summer with camp pickup and drop-off schedules and outrageous price tags, and the back-to-school rush. Is there really a time when we’re not firing on all cylinders? While we don’t have a definitive answer, we do try our best to find ways to help you carry the weight. One: remember that we can have it all, but we need to adjust our expectations and it won’t be perfect. Stop trying to be everything to everyone at all times, because the only one really suffering is you. Two: while there’s no magic wand, being prepared and organized can work wonders. We LOVE this life planner. It’s about more than just tracking your kids’ activity schedules. It includes a vision board, a success roadmap, and even productivity stickers. In other words, it helps you thrive, and not just keep up.

2️⃣  ⚡️Mom Hacks to Get it Done

At the end of the day (or at 5:30am when we get up before everyone else, as the case may be…) moms just need a way to get 💩 done. We need all the shortcuts and hacks that we can get our hands on, because we’re WAY too busy to reinvent the wheel. We’ve got deadlines to meet and snacks to dole out, on repeat, forever and ever. We love @lifewithlainee because she’s all about finding ways for moms to save time and stress. Here are some summer hacks she posted about recently:

• Using wire baskets instead of plates for serving food all summer. Goodbye doing dishes!

• Magnetic cup holders to get cups off the counter (and onto the side of the fridge)

• Bottle caps to turn any bottle into a sippy cup — perfect for littles who are drinking from a bottle of water

• Snack bags with built-in ice packs — great for pool days and car rides!

• On-the-go hand washing station — just attach it to a bottle of water!

• Silicone popsicle holder to catch the drippy mess

3️⃣ 😑 Dealing with Mom Guilt

As working moms, the guilt is REAL. We feel guilty that we can’t be at all our kids’ performances and games. We feel guilty because we’re not cooking them a healthy dinner every night. We feel guilty that we aren’t there when the kids get out of school. The list goes on. But the only true part of mom guilt is that it doesn’t help anyone. We’re always going to want to be giving more of ourselves to our kids (when we’re focused on work) or to our jobs (when we’re prioritizing family time.) So how do we deal with these guilt demons that are trying to take over? We love the advice that psychotherapist Niro Feliciano gave to the Today Show last year:

• Stop “shoulding” on yourself. “We have to accept that we truly are doing the best we can.”

• Consider the positives of mom guilt. “A little bit can actually help change behavior and prevent unfortunate situations from happening again.”

• Talk to other empathetic moms. “Even the moms who look like they have it all together will be the first to tell you they don’t.”

• Focus on your wins. “When I fall short, I try to remember what I actually did accomplish that day or week and it’s a lot.”

• Put it all in perspective. “My faith helps me remember that I am not alone in parenting my kids.”

And if all else, fails, check out the book There Are Moms Way Worse Than You. We’re all doing the best we can! 😉

📰 IN THE NEWS

How the Big Beautiful Bill Will Affect Families

➡️ The president’s newly approved bill will have a major impact on families — and not in a good way. Medicaid cuts will translate to loss coverage, families will lose access to food assistance through SNAP, families of as many as 20 million children will not have access to the $2,500 child tax credit, and the Trump savings account for children will disproportionately favor high-income families. Read more about it here.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT 🤎

for working moms with older children

• If you’re deep in the teen years, this one will hit home, especially if you’re trying to find the joy in between the rolling eyes and sarcasm being thrown at you left and right. Here are 10 things to accept about the teen years to make you a happier parent. Some of our favorites include: don’t try to change your children, your job as a parent will change as your kids get older, and you will always love your children but sometimes you will not like them. Keep reading here! What are some ways that have helped you get through those tough teen years? Share your wisdom with the other mamas in the comments below!