Perfection Pending

By Meredith Ethington

  • My Books
    • The Mother Load
    • Mom Life: Perfection Pending – The Book
    • Free eBook: Sometimes Motherhood Sucks
    • How To Grow Your FB Following
  • Motherhood
    • Inspiration
    • Encouragement
    • Childhood
    • Humor
    • Parenting Memes
    • Friendship
    • Marriage
  • Kid Ideas
    • Recipes
    • Practical Tips
    • Babies & Toddlers
    • teens and tweens
    • The Elementary School Years
  • Mental Health
    • Mental Health
    • Anxiety
  • About
    • Favorite Posts
    • My Portfolio
    • Privacy & Disclosures

Encouragement Inspiration Parenting Tips

Summer Is Hard For Introverted Mothers

  • Share
  • Tweet

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link, I may receive a commission. See my full disclosure policy here. 

I used to never think of myself as an introverted person until I became a mom. I am a social person. I like being around people. I never craved alone time. Or maybe I never needed to because I had plenty of it. I don’t know if I was always an introvert and just didn’t realize it, or if I became one because of motherhood. I guess it doesn’t really matter.

I now feel more introverted than ever.

The fact is, now I feel more introverted than ever since becoming a mom. I crave my personal space, and have been known on more than one occasion to tell my kids, “I just need some personal space right now!” in my best I’m-trying-not-to-be-exasperated-tone. But, more than that – I am lost in my own thoughts a lot. I struggle with getting out of my own head and being present.

Especially in the Summer.

Sometimes, I have to almost shake myself from within – “Wake up Meredith! You’re missing it. Your kids are little. They are growing up too fast. Pay attention.”

It’s not about being distracted from my phone, or from housework. It’s because I’m just in my head. A lot.

I’m over thinking, over analyzing, and working things out constantly. It’s part of my OCD, I’m sure, but regardless, it seems like no matter how much time I get alone – I need more time. More time to work things out. More time to think. More silence.

Perhaps every mother feels this way to some extent. But, I crave being alone more than I ever did before.

Summer makes me even more aware that I’m an introvert

I’ve been analyzing the past few weeks as we’ve fallen into Summer, why I’m so irritable. I am supposed to be enjoying this time with my kids. After all, we only get 18 Summers give or take, and aren’t we supposed to treasure them?

But, the truth is, I’ve been struggling this year. It’s seemed like the hardest Summer for me in history. I’ve wondered if my anxiety has reared it’s ugly head again and I need to up my meds, or if it’s just simply for the fact that I can’t think because three other humans are here with me all. day. long.

The fighting and bickering feels never-ending, and the activities feel like they consume my days and no one appreciates them like I wish they would.

 

It’s hard to explain, and frankly, typing it out makes me feel a little ungrateful. I love my kids fiercely. I live and breathe for them. But, the day to day work of mothering is tedious. Especially in Summer when the snacks are more abundant, the messes are everywhere, and there isn’t much elbow room for all the kids and friends that now fill your house.

So, to the other mamas that struggle with Summer because you’re introverted, I get it. I struggle too. I honestly try not to count down the days until school starts again because deep down I know that I just have a few summers left, and it’s fleeting, and precious, and magical.

Because it really is. Some days, I think to myself – this Summer thing is the BEST!

I heard a quote recently by Jessica Scott that said

“We get 18 delicious Summers with our children. This is one of your 18. If that’s not perspective, I don’t know what is.”

But, it’s OK to say it’s hard, too. Own it. The magical parts of summer like more relaxed bedtimes, lemonade stands, and sunsets and the not-so-magical parts too.

If you’re an introverted mother, the extra long days mean more extra amounts of patience are required to survive it. Because I’m sure that you’re putting their needs for you above your needs for personal space most of the time during the Summer anyway.

So, if today is one of those days where you just need a moment of peace. It’s OK. Your kids will survive. They’ll understand, and you can get right back to your magical summer memories that they’ll cherish forever – tomorrow. 

***

Want to learn more about Introverted Mothers?

Surviving as an introverted Mother

4 Tips for Surviving Parenthood As an Introverted Mother

The Introverted Mother – How To Survive and Thrive

Check out these books on Introverted Parents & Kids

 

 

Meredith Ethington is a writer and a mom to three, trying to help her kids understand sarcasm and her need for personal space. Meredith’s debut parenting book, Mom Life: Perfection Pending, provides an uplifting yet realistic look at all that is expected of moms in the 21st century and is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at Absolute Love Publishing. She proudly writes for many of her favorite parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Babble, Momtastic, and on her own blog. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter where she loves to laugh at herself and admit that while parenting is the best thing ever, it’s also the hardest job on earth.


2 Comments

« 19 STEM Activities For Kids You Can Do At Home
30+ S’mores Recipes You’ll Want To Make This Summer »

Comments

  1. Erica says

    July 20, 2019 at 10:11 am

    I can relate to this 100%

    Some of my best summers to date were spent camping for weeks deep in the woods, right beside a lake. I spent alot of time in a hammock relaxing and my kids were the easiest and happiest I’ve ever seen them. We went on little adventures. Many, each day actually. They all learned so much. How to gather the perfect wood and sticks for fires, how to fish, how to swim, etc.
    There was also an ocean about a 15 minute drive away with many hidden beaches where we would hunt for crabs and explore and discover some really cool things. Collected tons of driftwood and other treasures.
    We sometimes were lucky to meet other campers with little boats theyd take us on (we were in a small town area where everyone were locals and all friends with my bf at the time so it was never complete strangers.)
    I’ve never been able to give them a summer quite like that since but just thought I’d share for anyone who has absolutely no idea how to create fun for their kids in the summer without having to spend it at big social events and public parks or beaches.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Sometimes it’s nice to just be able to know you’re not alone and others are feeling the same. ❤

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A Real Mom's Guide To Surviving Summer - Perfection Pending says:
    July 11, 2018 at 10:42 pm

    […] you will. Because when my kids use their imaginations and really get into a game, or activity, they leave me alone. And, that’s one of my big goals every summer if I’m being perfectly […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

The Mother Load

Perfection Pending on Instagram

perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
Grab my new book, The Mother Load, available now. 👇👇

Night night! 😤 Night night! 😤
If you missed my last post about how raising teens If you missed my last post about how raising teens can wreck you mentally….wellll this is part of the reason why. So lonely! But we are in this together somehow. 😂 Make sure to check out my latest substack and grab a copy of my book —- The Mother Load!
NEW ---> "When there are problems in these big kid NEW ---> "When there are problems in these big kid years, it’s no longer really acceptable to call a friend and air the annoyances of the situation. At least not the specifics.

Sure, you can commiserate with a fellow parent about teenagers being the worst.

But, to be honest - they’re not the worst. They’re kind of amazing. But their problems make me tired to my core." 

Read the latest on my substack. I promise you'll relate. ❤️
So sweet. ❤️ Follow me @perfectpending and bet So sweet. ❤️
Follow me @perfectpending and better yet buy my book or subscribe to my substack to support me.
"I don’t know about you, but I don’t really wa "I don’t know about you, but I don’t really want same-ness anymore. I want messy. I want admissions that shit is hard and we don’t have it all together. I want to have a makeup free, messy bun in my sweats run in with a mom friend and not feel worried she’s checking out my un-groomed eyebrows.

I don’t want to try to give off this illusion that I’m control of my life any better than the next person. It’s a shitshow for all of us, and we continue to hide it for fear of what? Being human?"

Read the rest on my Substack. Link in profile.
WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I WHAT IF THIS IS THE HAPPIEST I’LL EVER BE AND I MISS IT? What if I miss the best time of my life. What if it’s right this second?
What if it’s right now while I’m in finals week of grad school, and have a kid that’s sick? 
I already miss so much. The gummy smiles of babes without any teeth. The squeaky voices of 2 year olds. The babbling of a baby that’s just trying so hard to say mama. The grammar mistakes my kids make when they’re talking that I don’t have the heart to correct because I love it too much. 

I miss a lot about those younger years that have already slipped away. My youngest is sick, much like in this picture, but he is too big to snuggle in my arms now when he’s running a fever. 

Today I had the thought, what if this is it? What if this IS the happiest I’ll ever be?
For a moment, I lingered in that thought as I stood over my sink and did the dishes. I started to cry.
Am I missing it? AM I? I felt a tug that maybe I was. Maybe I wasn’t relishing enough, and enjoying enough, and being present enough.
But, then I realized, it will never be ENOUGH. 

Read the rest in my substack ❤️
New year, same me. 😂 #mentalhealth #anxiety #de New year, same me. 😂
#mentalhealth #anxiety #depression
"I don't care" as I literally care about every sin "I don't care" as I literally care about every single thing.
I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of th I’ve got to admit - I’m kind of over all of this. *sweeps arm generally at planet earth*

Look, I’ve never been a half glass full kind of gal. I can ALWAYS find the negative in every situation. 

But, right now it’s easy to say that I’m over it. It being.....

The state of our economy. Social media. People being unemployed. People being racist and homophobic. The debate over politics. People judging people. ALLLLLL of it. 

Everything is crap right now. We joke about it a lot. We have to in order to survive. 

It’s the one millionth day of January but Spring feels so far away. 

I’m over these four damn walls that we call home. 

Yeah, I know. Even as I’m typing this it all sounds like a bunch of ungrateful whiney BS. I hear it. I don’t need you to point it out, Karen. 

But, my guess is you’re reading this right now and realizing you’re over it too. Whatever “it” is in your life.

Some days the world feels like total crap. Everything is a mess. Everything costs too much. For E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y. 

Yes, even for you Karen. ➡️➡️ to keep reading.
Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mea Yes. Boundaries are healthy and good. And they mean someone loves you that much to communicate them! Love this wisdom from @wittyidiot
NEW POST ----> "This is not a post about loss of a NEW POST ----> "This is not a post about loss of a loved one. Or loss of a child. Those things are real, and they’re heart wrenching. And, this post is certainly not to compare that loss with the one I’m going to talk about.

But, the loss of yourself in motherhood is real. And It’s not talked about enough." 

Do you feel like you lost yourself in motherhood? How? I really want to know. 

Psss - I am in grad school to become a therapist, and am not ashamed to ask that you subscribe to my paid substack. I just lowered the cost to $36/year! That's like $4/month and you'll have access to all my previous posts, and some new weekly short posts to give you ideas to help with balancing motherhood and your own mental health. I'm learning a lot in school, and will only continue to do so, so subscribe and we'll support each other. ❤️
This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣 This memory made me laugh this morning. 🤣
Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon Saaaame. @womenwhorunwiththemoon
I’m sorry are you really wearing doc martens and I’m sorry are you really wearing doc martens and a dress with spaghetti straps and a Tshirt under it while you’re telling me I’m doing it wrong? 🤣 Life is wild. Teenagers are fun.
Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s th Found in my pediatricians office. 🤣 What’s the moral of the story friends? If you think your household is always sick - it’s because they probably are. Kids make everything more germ-y
Here’s what I do know 👇 No one knows what th Here’s what I do know 👇

No one knows what they’re doing. 
We all feel like imposters. 
Our kids love us anyway. 
We’re all going to be OK. 
You’ve got this (as much as any of us do) 😘

#momspiration #momlife #funnymoms #memtalhealth #parentinglife #parentingquotes
"By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to "By trying to be perfect, we're actually trying to avoid being human." 

Do you struggle with perfectionism? Parenthood has helped me quite a bit, but It's something I've battled my whole life. I still struggle occasionally, although it's gotten better. But, let's stop trying to avoid being human and instead embrace ourselves an in turn embrace the entire human race. ❤️ I'd love to hear how you embrace being imperfect. 

#perfecționism #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #imperfect #perfectpending #themotherload #thementalload
Mood. Mood.
Some of you wanted sources on my last reel where I Some of you wanted sources on my last reel where I said we only need to be getting it right 30% of the time for our kids to have secure attachments. Well I wrote a bit more about the concept of being the “good enough mother” a term coined in the 50’s by a researcher and pediatrician. Check it all out in my newest post. Link in profile.
It’s true! Researchers have found that as long a It’s true! Researchers have found that as long as you’re doing the repair after mistakes the other times - then 30% is enough! Sometimes I worry I’m not doing it right but I definitely know I’m doing it right 30% of the time! 
Probably a whole lot more to be honest. I bet you are too. #momlife #encouragement #momspiration
Follow on Instagram

You might also like

The Greatest Gift Is To Watch Your Child Leave You

Mom holding baby in nursery and yawning

When Does Parenting Get Less Exhausting? Newsflash – Never.

Dad holding tired girl after trick or treating during Halloween in the 80's

Halloween in The 80’s Was the Best Ever

mom forcing a smile with fingers and blue background

Stop Complaining About Motherhood. Here Are 21 Reasons You Shouldn’t

Here’s How to Deal With Hating Being a Parent

Copyright © 2025 · Perfection Pending · Designed by Krizzy Designs

Copyright © 2025 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in