Mom Identity Crises

Mom Identity Crisis: The Many Hats We Wear (And How to Find Ourselves Again)

Somewhere between the 4 piles of laundry, the endless snack requests, and the third round of trying to explain fractions, I had a realization: I am not just Mom—I am an entire staff of people.

In the span of a single day, I rotate through job titles like I’m running a Fortune 500 company, only there’s no salary, no PTO, and the only retirement plan involves waiting for the kids to move out (but let’s be honest, even then, they’ll still text us asking how long to microwave chicken nuggets).

Let’s break it down, shall we?

The Many Identities of Mom:

👩‍⚕️ The Nurse – “Mom, my stomach hurts.” (After you just served dinner.) “Mom, I scraped my knee.” (On carpet?!) “Mom, I need a Band-Aid.” (For an invisible injury.)

🍳 The Chef – Cooking “dinner” at 2pm for half of the family to eat at 4:30 while the others eat at 7:30. 

🦸‍♀️ The Crisis Negotiator – Diffusing tantrums, negotiating bedtimes, and brokering peace treaties over who gets to pick the next episode on Netflix.

🚗 The Chauffeur – Driving to school, soccer, dance, baseball, swim, birthday parties, and somehow still being asked, “Why are we always in the car?”

📅 The Event Planner – Remembering every school spirit day, sports practice, themed dress-up day, and the neighbor’s dog’s birthday (because someone promised you’d be there).

🧹 The Housekeeper – Wiping up spills, picking up socks, and questioning why there’s always at least one pair of shoes in EVERY room of the house.

🛒 The Personal Shopper – Keeping track of sizes, constantly restocking the fridge, and adding things to your cart that you never actually buy (because girl math says it doesn’t count if it never gets checked out).

👩‍💻 The CEO of Family Operations – Juggling doctor’s appointments, meal planning, online orders, and remembering who likes their sandwiches crust on or crust off (even though they change their minds weekly).

And let’s not forget: The Therapist, The Tutor, The Referee, The Laundry Fairy, The Alarm Clock, The Finder of Lost Things, and The One Who Knows Where Everything Is at All Times.

But Wait… Where Am I?

Somewhere in this ever-growing list of job titles, we get lost. We used to have hobbies, ambitions, and favorite shows that weren’t animated. We used to have names that weren’t just Mom! screamed from another room.

Motherhood is an all-consuming role, but it’s not the only role we were made for.

Finding Yourself Again

So how do we hold on to ourselves in the chaos? Here’s what I’m learning:

✅ Reclaiming Small Moments – Whether it’s a hot coffee (before it turns cold), a book that isn’t about parenting, or just sitting in the car alone for five minutes before heading inside—take the time.

✅ Saying Yes to You – Sign up for the yoga class, go to the girls dinner, take that weekend away. You’re not just a mom—you’re a person who deserves joy.

✅ Letting Go of Perfection – Your kids don’t need a flawless mom. They need a happy, present, real one. The laundry can wait. Your happiness shouldn’t.

✅ Remembering You’re Still in There – You’re not just a chauffeur, a chef, or a referee. You are still you—a whole person with dreams, passions, and a sense of humor that’s been sharpened by years of ridiculous kid logic.

The Bottom Line

Motherhood may come with a never-ending job description, but it’s okay to step back and reclaim parts of yourself. The best gift we can give our kids is showing them what a full, joyful life looks like—so they know it’s okay to chase their own dreams one day.

And in the meantime, I’ll be here… negotiating snack rations and wondering why my house still looks like a tornado hit, even though I just cleaned.

Tag a mom who needs this reminder. 💕 What’s the funniest ‘job title’ you’ve had to take on as a mom? Let’s hear them! ⬇️

With love,

Brittany