From Reactive to Rooted: Redefining “Good Mom” This Season
Based on Episode 4 of Root to Ring: A Resilient Parenting Podcast
If you’re feeling maxed out by your schedule, short on patience, and disconnected from the kind of mom you want to be, you are not alone.
So many emotionally invested moms I work with feel like they’re constantly running on fumes.
Between school events, forgotten water bottles, and last-minute requests, your nervous system never gets a break.
And when you finally get a moment to breathe, the guilt creeps in:
“I should be more grateful.”
“I should be more present.”
“I should be more patient.”
Let’s pause right there.
This isn’t a you problem. This is a system problem.
A culture that defines “good mom” as selfless, spotless, and always on is not only unsustainable—it’s harmful.
Why “Trying Harder” Isn’t Helping
We’ve been conditioned to believe that if something isn’t working, we just need to do more.
But what I’ve seen again and again is that what moms actually need is:
- Permission to pause
- Space to feel
- Support to re-regulate
Trying harder isn’t what creates presence.
Regulating your nervous system is.
When you’re overwhelmed, it’s not a mindset issue.
It’s your body asking for safety.
How to Start Parenting from a Rooted Place
Here’s what I want you to know:
You don’t have to earn your worth by checking every box.
You can redefine “good mom” as the kind of leader who shows up with presence, even when the kitchen’s a mess.
And it starts with small, doable shifts like these:
- Taking 2 minutes to notice what your body feels
- Letting yourself feel instead of fix
- Choosing connection over control
- Naming what’s actually true about you, not what your inner critic says
Because a regulated parent is a rooted parent.
And a rooted parent leads differently.
The Rooted Shift: From Self-Judgment to Self-Leadership
Inside my coaching work, I help moms shift from reactivity and perfectionism into what I call Rooted Leadership:
A grounded, clear, values-based rhythm for your home that starts from within.
Here’s what that creates:
- You get to model wholeness instead of hustle
- You can show up calm even when your teen is not
- You lead from confidence, not constant second-guessing
You don’t need to “do more” to be a good mom.
You just need to come back to you.
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Episode Title: From Reactive to Rooted: Redefining “Good Mom” This Season
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Want Support Redefining What "Good Mom" Means for You?
If this message hit home, Rooted 1:1 Coaching was built for you.
This is a 1:1 mentorship experience for the mom who is done performing and ready to parent with clarity, presence, and peace.
Inside Rooted, we’ll work together to:
- Reset your nervous system and unhook from hustle
- Redefine motherhood in a way that feels true to you
- Lead your home with boundaries that serve everyone
- Build rhythms and language that invite trust (not tension)
You’re allowed to lead your family from a full cup, not fumes.
Book Your Free Discovery Call Here
Or DM me on Instagram @parentingwithabi with the word ROOTED and I’ll send you all the details.
Let’s redefine what “good” gets to mean, together.
—
Abi Brown
Parenting Coach & Host of Root to Ring: A Resilient Parenting Podcast
