Gena Koehler

“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, Mother Shock: Tales from the First Year and Beyond -- Loving Every (Other) Minute of It

“So hold your head up high, reserve your smiles for those who really deserve them, and let the world know it’s your bitch.”
― The Betches, Nice Is Just a Place in France: How to Win at Basically Everything

“Your role is not to make your child happy every moment of the day regardless of the personal cost, but to raise her to be a thoughtful, kind, productive citizen of the world. Some people would beg to differ, but it’s not a choice to discipline or not. Your child needs discipline, just like she needs food and water.”
― Jo Frost, Jo Frost's Toddler Rules: Your 5-Step Guide to Shaping Proper Behavior

“If there is anything that makes me not want to have another baby, it is this essential conflict, this hatred of being trapped in laundry, bottles, schedules, tiny runny noses. But none of this is about you: I don’t wish you were never born, I don’t resent you, I don’t want to give you away. I just wish I could have a break longer than the hour or so that is your nap. I wish I could have my time back, my body back. I wish there was a better division of labor than Daddy when he has time and Mommy all day, all night.”
― Andrea J. Buchanan, Mother Shock: Tales from the First Year and Beyond -- Loving Every (Other) Minute of It