On Motherhood and Parenting Choices: Are You Being Too Hard On Yourself?

Moms can sometimes be too hard on themselves. There's always that doubt that maybe you're not doing things right, especially when it comes to parenting. Are you beating yourself up over nothing, or is there really cause for worry? Look at these scenarios and see if these sound familiar.

Scenario: Your husband is the spoiler, and you're the disciplinarian.

The Dilemma: Shouldn't you be on the same team?

Work with your husband to try and find the right balance between giving in to your kids and holding back. You don't necessarily have to be the bad cop all the time—switch roles with your hubby from time to time when dealing with small things (an extra hour of playtime, a request for a new book at the bookstore), but make sure you're both on the same team when it comes to big decisions like curfew extensions.

Scenario: Your child knows all the songs to his favorite YouTube Kids show.

The Dilemma: Are you giving him too much screen time?

Don't fret. Kids have very good memory retention and they will still memorize those songs even after hearing it only a couple of times. Decide what scheme works for you. Do they get to watch YouTube for 30 minutes straight, or do you chop that up into three 10-minute viewing times?

Scenario: You just ordered pizza for dinner—for the second time this month.

The Dilemma: Shouldn't you be serving home-cooked meals?

It's probably not in your budget to order pizza every night, anyway, so why not indulge a few times? The perk: no dishes to do afterwards, meaning more time for family bonding. Remind yourself of the time you slaved over that elaborate meal last week, so you won't feel guilty about this little break. 

Scenario: You're no neat freak—major cleanup happens only once a week.

The Dilemma: Is our home becoming a breeding ground for harmful bacteria?

As long as everyone in the household does his or her part in tidying, then it will probably take longer than a week before bacteria starts to breed in your home. It wouldn't hurt to save the laundry for tomorrow if that will mean keeping your sanity today.

Scenario: You don't join the bandwagon of moms subscribing to a particular brand of personal care products.

The Dilemma: Should you follow their lead in every single thing?

Absolutely not! You get to decide what goes into your grocery cart. Narrow down your choices, and study the pros and cons of each brand. Certainly you don't want to be stuck with a product you don't believe in.

TV personality and model Bianca Gonzalez-Intal is much like you—sometimes ridden with guilt and doubt about making the right parenting decisions. But as she has learned while raising her two-year-old daughter Lucia, "There is no one correct way to take care of your family. To each his own! Don't let other people pressure you or dictate what you should be doing."

When it comes to making choices, Bianca says she's "pretty chill," going with a mix of gut feel and information that she reads.

That's the very reason why she has been a Sanicare user for many years now, and was launched as its first-ever ambassador. Sanicare is a line of kitchen, bathroom, and personal-care paper and cotton products.

"Sanicare is a go-to brand for us. I loved learning about how they use the least chemical processes possible—no artificial whiteners that some other brands may use—you get value for your money, too," adds Bianca.

Here's what Bianca did before coming up with her choice: "Hear people's advice, read up on your own, and make your decisions based on what you feel is right for your family." 

Find out what makes Sanicare the perfect choice for Bianca. Visit their Facebook page to discover the many ways Sanicare cares for your family.