Overcoming Guilt as a Working Parent…

"I used to believe that guilt was just part of being a parent..."
One day, after a particularly long workday, I came home, exhausted.

My kids ran up to me with smiles and hugs, and instead of joy, I felt a pang of guilt.
I felt like I wasn’t giving them enough. I wasn’t there for every moment. Sound familiar?
Working parents often struggle with this guilt, whether it’s missing a school event or not being fully present after a long day. But here's what I realised:
Guilt doesn’t serve us. It drains us.

You see, guilt is a natural emotion, but living in it isn’t sustainable. I learnt that I wasn’t failing, I was simply trying to do everything at once, and that’s where the problem lies.

What shifted for me?

I realised I can’t be everything to everyone, all the time. My children don’t need a perfect parent—they need a present parent.

As Brené Brown once said, "Let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are."

Parents, the next time you feel that guilt creeping in, remind yourself: Your best is enough.

 Let’s think about it, what’s one moment of guilt you’ve experienced, and how did you overcome it?