Okay. Okay. Okay.
I didn’t actually Google it.
But I’ve thought about it. More than once. (Y’all the mom guilt is real some days!)
So let me explain:
The other day, I was standing in the bathroom, door locked, music playing loud, and I thought…
Would God mind if I just stayed in here for a while?
Am I slacking on my role as mom by avoiding the chaos?
Because sometimes I just can’t anymore.
The noise.
The questions.
The sibling fights that feel like cage matches.
The group texts that turn into group yells.
The constant “MOM?!” from every room.
I used to think when they got older, it would quiet down.
Those things would get easier.
Ha. Joke’s on me!
I’ve got teens now. And somehow the volume, and the needs, grew with them.
So sometimes, I hide.
And before you start judging. I don’t hide for long, but I just need a moment.
Just like I did when they were little and those tiny, little fingers crept under the door like something out of a horror movie. (Can you picture it?)
But now it’s pounding on the door and the urgent (but not so urgent) call of, “Mom?” with their face squished against the crack of the door.
Or, my personal favorite of calling or texting me from inside the house while in the bathroom.
I go in for space. They still find me.
I scroll, play music, pretend I don’t hear them.
This is where the mom guilt kicks in.
But on those hard days, when the anxiety rises and I feel like I’m failing—I pray.
I ask for patience. I ask for help. I ask for guidance.
I also call my husband.
His voice? It’s like calm wrapped in truth.
He reminds me that this season is wild… but it’s short.
That our teens are loud, yes, but they’re still listening.
He encourages me that I’m doing okay.
That sometimes locking the bathroom door is just strategic survival.
Eventually, I step out. Taking a deep breath.
And just that small moment to hide away to pray for strength was all I needed to tackle what’s ahead.
But here’s what I’m learning about motherhood:
There’s grace for this.
Even in a locked bathroom.
And while hiding isn’t the answer to everything, it’s not a sin to need space.
Especially when you’re an overwhelmed mom who needs a break.
Jesus rested.
Jesus withdrew.
And even Jesus got interrupted.
To all the overwhelmed moms…
If you’ve ever stood in the bathroom wondering if you’re doing it wrong—
You’re not.
You’re human.
You’re tired.
You’re trying.
And you’re not alone.
From one overwhelmed mom to another—for more honest encouragement like this? Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly grace-filled reminders right to your inbox or come find me on Instagram for honest words and a few laughs.
