Mamas, let’s stop tearing each other down. Let’s stop ripping each other apart with our cruel words and unfair judgment.

Please.

We are the same. Really, we are. We are on the same team.

We love our children so deeply that we’d bleed for them and die for them.

We’re all doing the best we can.

We’re all facing the same pressures to do it all and be it all.

But it matters not what we do in the eyes of the world, only in the eyes of our children.

Let’s not let one mama’s thoughts cause us to burn her at the proverbial stake.

Let’s not assume that because one mama tells a story that’s different than our own that she’s personally attacking us.

More than anything, let’s not shame one another. We already beat ourselves up so much as it is!

We’re slowly building bridges over how we feed our babies and whether or not we work inside or outside the home (or both) and where our children sleep, but we have a long way to go when it comes to valuing everyone’s own glorious mess of a motherhood.

We all do it differently, yes. Isn’t that beautiful?

We could learn so much from each other if we listened—truly listened—without butting in or jumping to conclusions.

I’ve been the mom lining up my kids for the photo op without actually enjoying the moment with them.

I’ve also been the mom looking a bit like a beached whale cannon balling into the deep end with them.

I’ve been the mom others think has it all under control.

I’ve been the mom staring with envy at another mom so amazingly put together.

I’m the mom who watches from the sidelines. I’m also the mom whooping it up down the water slides.

I’m the mom who’s been distracted.

I’m the mom who puts her kids to bed at 7:30 p.m. every night.

I’m the mom who takes her kids to a 9:30 p.m. movie at the drive in.

I’m the mom who makes mistake after mistake after mistake but gets up and tries again the next day. But sometimes I hit the snooze button.

I’m the mom who lets her kids fend for themselves, play outside (mostly) unsupervised in the backyard, and use electronics for too long.

I’m also the mom who refuses to allow her 10 year old to have a cell phone or her kids to watch anything on the internet without hovering over their shoulder.

I’m the mom who’s received compliments at restaurants for her well behaved children.

I’m the mom rolling four kids deep through Target barely holding her sh!t together because her children are acting like savage animals.

I’m the mom who plans picture perfect outings, one on one dates, and family adventures. Sometimes they are even enjoyable.

I’m also the mom who lays on the couch in her pajamas while her kids play at her feet all day.

I’m the mom who’s yelled at her kids all day and then stared in awe at their angelic faces as they slept.

I’m the mom who’s laughed and hugged and kissed and played all day long with her kids and then yelled at them when they wouldn’t go to sleep.

I’ve been THAT mom.

You’ve been that mom. Maybe not in any of the ways above, but you have.

We moms are interconnected in a deep and meaningful way. We are more alike than we are different. And our differences are what make the world go round.

Come on, mamas. Let’s build another bridge that unites us. Let’s allow all mamas to come aboard. Let’s welcome one another with open arms. Let’s support and encourage and build each other up.

I’ll let you decide whether or not to wear the matching bathing suit. But you better smile for the picture.