Motherhood is often described as the best thing that can happen to a woman; however, there are many responsibilities and sacrifices behind it that are not for everyone. It’s a permanent, life-changing hard job that everyone should have a choice to choose.
Though social media is full of cool, perfect moms, sometimes the reality is completely different, as Karla Tenório shared after confessing she hates motherhood. Tenório is a Brazilian actress, writer, and creator of Repentant Mother , who recently grew globally because of her statements.
Karla And Her Daughter Share A Unique Bond
Despite having a twelve-year-old daughter, Tenório hates being a mother; however, she loves her child endlessly and has a loving relationship which she occasionally shares on her Instagram account.
She Isn’t The Only One
The 38-year-old woman created a new movement where other mothers could be heard and free to express their feelings about the responsibilities they hate without guilt. Thousands of women have felt seen and shared their own experiences about motherhood and how socially-structured expectations have affected them.
Repentant Mother Shows The Struggles Of Motherhood
Karla wrote down her story and published a book under the same name, Repentant Mother, where she talked about her regrets, guilts, and struggles since the moment her daughter was born. She spent two years preparing for the arrival of her child, but when the moment came, she thought it was the biggest mistake of her life.
This Wasn’t What She Was Expecting
The activist explained that her experience was considerably different from all the things she had read or seen before becoming a mother, and this caused her immense guilt about how she was feeling. Tenório had a difficult pregnancy and birth and suffered from postpartum psychosis.
Karla Felt Like Her Life Was Over
No matter how much effort she put in, her frustration grew. She said she stopped doing many things to focus on her daughter and became obsessed with being the perfect mother, she even had a book where she wrote how many minutes she spent breastfeeding her baby, but her regret was always there.
Not Everyone Experiences The Same
Karla stated, “The symptoms of maternal regret are frustration, the feeling that life is ending,” but it took her ten years to finally admit and recognize what she was feeling. Tenório shared this on her Instagram, calling herself a repentant mother despite having a planned child. While some called her brave and felt seen, others criticized her position.
You Can Love Your Child Without Liking Being A Mom
Tenório quickly discovered she wasn’t the only one feeling suffocated by her job, but she also received a lot of negative feedback and concerns about her daughter. Yet, she explained that being a mother and having a child are two completely different things, which doesn’t stop her from loving her daughter as much as she does; she added, “Our relationship is strong and works for us. It is based on love, truth, and respect.”
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Karla’s Daughter Is Her Biggest Supporter
Tenório prefers to talk with the truth, even though it can be harsh for some people; still, she is very against romanticizing motherhood without showing its difficulties. Despite all the critics, her daughter is her biggest fan; Karla expects that the movement will help her child in the future to make the right choices about motherhood without fear or guilt, as many other women suffer every day.
The Voice For The Next Generations
As of today, Karla has 26.4K followers on Instagram worldwide. The writer continues her journey and recommends everyone should warn women about the downsides of motherhood before they regret it, so they don’t feel like they lost their voice.
