Yoga pants are the new mom jeans

All judgment aside…why are so many women using motherhood as an excuse to not care for themselves or about themselves?

I have been flooded with various widely published Internet articles and blog posts about wearing pajamas to the bus stop, why moms should not be expected to brush their hair in the morning, and how you can pretty much expect to be entertaining your friends toddler if you come over for mid-day tea (or wine). Also, why are these same women writing articles so critical of the mothers who do take care of themselves and pay attention to their appearance?

Yes, as a society, especially an American one, we have seemed to let our morals, values, and physical appearance wane a bit. We have all seen the funny pictures of slovenly dressed Wal-Mart patrons and the “just like us” pictures of celebrities sans makeup and sloughing around town in yoga pants. Why is it that fellow mothers are using children as an explanation for their utter lack of attention to themselves? Why is it so bad to take care of yourself before putting that extra fancy bow in your little girl’s hair before preschool? What about your husband/significant other? Does he/she not deserve to come home to a washed and decently clothed mother? Just because you have a child does not mean that you are required (yet these days it seems an expectation) to stop self-care activities and necessary “selfish” parts of your pre-child daily routine. Also, how are you being a exemplary role model for your children if you require them to dress in matching socks, have quiet time, bathe regularly, and take pride in their appearance and self-worth if you, as Mother, do not? Sure, pregnancy is a time of self-doubt and sometimes all day sweatpants wearing…inside the house. Throughout my pregnancy I can recall maybe two times during my visits to the doctor that I was not the only one dressed in “day” clothing…it was as if pregnancy (no matter the gestation) was a reason to go everywhere in sweatpants.

Yes, I am an empowered woman who believes the ideal photo shopped body portrayed in the magazines should not be, nor is the norm…however I also believe that women need to care about their appearance both inside and out. I’m not saying you need to dress in your best luncheon outfit for running to target, but at least brush your hair, throw on some flats and a decent pair of jeans. Yes, we all have those days we just need to run to the store after the gym, or just felt too crumby to put on anything decent…but those days should be few and far between. Why not empower other women to be non-yoga-pant-wearing Moms? Why is that so horrible?

Children are simply not an excuse to diminish your self-worth, but a reason to enhance your life!