Irrational Fears of Motherhood

Ever have a fear of a hypothetical scenario? Your parent brain is set on neurotic perhaps? It hasn’t happened and in all likelihood won’t happen, but you still worry about that imaginary future happening? 

I think parenthood has exacerbated these irrational fears. The motherhood thought wheels are always projecting little “what ifs” to keep our kids safe. Some of these fears are totally reasonable. Others, not so much. 

I thought I was just being neurotic. I spilled my wild and overzealous concerns (which I admit are super unlikely to happen but still have a tiny seed of fear over). And guess what? Other moms I talked to were all like YES! I have those! I even have that same scenario fear! So, in a nod to solidarity, this post is going to spill some of my top irrational mom worries.

The Cart Return at Target

This could be any cart return, but I’m the most worried at Target for some reason. Don’t try to reason with the irrational fear! What if I put the kids in the car, buckle them up then return the cart and something happens to me and my babies are locked in a car? I worry even more during the summer months. I always try to return the cart as quickly as possible to somehow ensure this hypothetical situation doesn’t occur, as if moving faster will somehow make it not happen.

The Stairs

Once a normal part of your house, now is a death trap of terror! Until more recently I used to worry about my kids getting past the baby gates and falling down them or me falling down the stairs while carrying them. Now my leftover fear is me falling down and being incapacitated and the kids doing nothing to help me then wandering out of the house, roaming the streets of suburbia alone. 

Medical Emergency While SoloParenting

I always worried about this happening. Then… This actually has happened to me so now I have better coping skills for this fear. I was home alone with the kids asleep and I was able to call 911 luckily. Now I have the common sense to call 911 immediately and find someone to stay with the kids AFTER I know an ambulance is on the way. Worst case, a police officer stays with your children while they find a friend or family member.

I also must add, if you ever THINK you have to call 911 for yourself or your child, just do it. EMTs would much rather drive over than not be needed than not making it there in time. Also, I had waited so long to call 911 I was almost at the point where I was unable to do so! I’ll say it again – think you should call 911 then call!!

Fear That I’m Messing Up My Child

Am I giving too much screen time? Did I yell too much? Did I not do enough of something? Am I doing this mom thing right? Will their first memory be that moment where I was yelling at them?

Their Future

By this, I don’t mean the ways I’m failing as a mom, but the outside forces I have no control over. Which is worse, I can’t guess.

Bullying, social media pressures, fights with friends, will my kids “belong?” I guess the real underlying fear here is not knowing what is going on and lack of control we have over their lives as they start to become their own person. 

I’m sure I have so many other irrational fears over nothing. While they don’t consume my thoughts, they do like to lurk in the back of my mind. Maybe it’s just a part of motherhood to keep us vigilant. What are the little scenarios in your head that you know are exaggerated?