Motherhood has a way of inviting unnecessary, unwarranted, and unsolicited commentary. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has advice. And for a while, I tried to meet that noise with explanations, guilt, and apologies—for choices that were never up for debate in the first place.

I’m done with that now.

This is a list of the things I refuse to apologize for as a mother. From boundaries and routines to softness, emotional honesty, and instinct. Because raising my daughter doesn’t require a consensus—it requires trust.

We love creating Christmas magic for our families, but behind the scenes, moms are carrying the lists, the plans, the wrapping, the remembering, and the emotional labor of it all. This year, I’m giving voice to what we really want for Christmas—unfiltered, unapologetic, and finally said out loud. Here are 20 things we actually want this holiday season.

From public meltdowns to saying “no” like it’s their full-time job, toddlers are gonna toddler. And honestly? I’m not sorry about it. Here are 10 toddler behaviors I refuse to apologize for.

My daughter deserves the absolute best. And part of that means making sure that she’s not left having to figure out what goes into her self-care toolbox when she gets older. So, I’m happy to have gone through it so that I can begin building it for her today. 

Would you believe that I just got my license and purchased my first car at the ripe young age of 39? For years, I have been terrified of getting behind the wheel and driving. But it wasn’t until I became a mother that I decided to conquer that fear once and for all.

I’m not trying to tell you what direction to go in when it comes to feeding your babies. But know that fed is best. So, whether you breastfeed, formula feed, or do a combination of both, your baby will be fine. Just do what works for you. I did, and it made me a better mother.

Fortunately, I have been working from home for over four years without any signs of returning to an office setting. So I can take care of Sweet Pea while financially supporting our household. But sometimes being a working stay-at-home mom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

This Mother’s Day, I thought I wanted to sit down and do nothing. But the more I thought about it, the more I looked forward to all the things I do everyday.

During my pregnancy, if I wasn’t crying, I was cursing and then started crying again because I was cursing. But the most random crybaby moment would have to be when I cried because there were too many strollers.