Mother-of-four admits she misses being ‘immature and selfish’

A mother-of-four has admitted she misses being ‘immature and selfish’ and often feels she is ‘drowning’ in tears as she opened up about the challenges of parenting. 

Jessica Hood, 31, who lives in Melbourne, revealed how motherhood has ‘played havoc’ with her mental health while raising four children under the age of six with her husband. 

Posting on Instagram, the blogger explained to her 54,000 followers how she ‘doubts every decision’ she makes for her family and admitted that some days she doesn’t want to be the ‘responsible one’. 

In the emotional post, she wrote: ‘It’s hard being a mother even on a good day. It’s hard trying to raise my children to be good people when I don’t think I’m even one myself.’ 

The stay-at-home mother added how she sometimes ‘fantasises’ about ‘running away to a deserted island with endless cocktails and sunshine’ after speaking about how she has lost her identity through becoming a mother. 

She explained how her life has drastically changed and she misses having ‘adult conversations’ and ‘wearing clothes that aren’t covered in spit up’ while she dedicates herself to looking after her children. 

Jessica wrote: ‘Wanna know something? Motherhood plays havoc on your mental health in away nothing else can.

‘It takes everything you once thought you were and removes it from you entirely until you’re left with a brand new person someone you don’t recognise.’ 

She continued: ‘People still assume being a stay at home mother is an excuse to be unemployed and lazy. 

‘Believe me when I say I miss interacting with people everyday.’ 

Jessica also spoke of how ‘lonely’ motherhood can be and added how this is made worse by seeing ‘wonderful stories and the perfect children’ on social media. 

Concluding her heartfelt post, Jessica reminded parents to ‘take five and breathe’ and reminded mothers of how ‘strong’ they are. 

She added: ‘I know you love babies, I know you’re doing everything you can. I know you’re gonna spend another day cleaning the house just to watch it be destroyed in 5 mins but you’re a wonderful mother and you will conquer this.’ 

Jessica’s post garnered more than 1,000 likes and she has since shared an adorable picture of her children exploring the great outdoors. 

Relating to her post, one mother wrote: ‘You are beautifully raw and courageous for sharing.’ 

Another added: ‘Omg you took my feelings and words right out of me.’ 

A third penned: ‘I hope you feel better, you actually described how I’ve been feeling for the past few days.’  

The candid post comes after Jessica shared another emotional post explaining how many women feel like they can’t express their unhappiness once they become a mother.

She went on to explain how she feels her life revolves around a routine of cleaning up after everyone else and school runs.

She wrote: ‘As mothers, we give every bit of who we are and what makes us happy in order to please others. We take the backseat until eventually we become unrecognisable and then we get told we have “changed.”‘

Jessica also said that the stress of being a mother is starting to irritate her skin and cause flare-ups of acne.