Friday

"It’s okay to be proud of the small things."

Welcome to Friday! Today, we're chatting about:

• Parent guilt is normal

• The case for treating yourself like a kid

• Discover the future of infant formula

• Should you try gentle parenting?

How to Handle Parent Guilt

Trying to be everything to everyone can take a toll. Work, caretaking, household tasks, meals, logistics, and emotional support—parenting often comes with impossible expectations. That’s why so many parents are dealing with one common thread: guilt. And it’s exhausting.

From wondering if you’re present enough to second-guessing your choices around feeding, screen time, or career, the pressure can feel relentless. But you’re not alone in those feelings—or in your efforts to reframe them.

Some parents are keeping digital folders of personal “wins” to counter their inner critic. Others are leaning more on their partners, allowing themselves to step back without fear of judgment. Some parents are letting go of guilt by skipping bedtime stories after long days, knowing consistency matters more than perfection.

Across the board, what these stories show is simple: letting go of unrealistic expectations isn’t just better for your mental health, it’s better for your kids, too. Because they don’t need you to be perfect. They just need you.

Treat Yourself Like You’d Treat a Kid

If self-care has started to feel like another obligation, you're not alone. Between wellness apps, 12-step routines, and morning greens powders, the basics often get lost. But what if the best thing you could do for yourself was to simplify? To treat yourself the way you'd care for a kid?

Think: naps when you're tired. Real food when you're hungry. Play without productivity. Time outdoors. A firm no to overstimulation. When life gets busy, it’s easy to skip meals, scroll until midnight, and ignore what your body’s asking for. But you'd never expect a child to function well without structure, sleep, or support. Why ask that of yourself?

Start small: a bedtime, a packed lunch, a 10-minute dance break. Build a life around meeting your basic needs with patience and consistency, not perfection. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what actually matters.

The simplest kind of care is often the most powerful.

A Cleaner, Safer Start for Growing Babies

Finding the right formula can feel overwhelming—but now there’s an option designed with both care and science at its core. After seven years of research and development, Nara Organics is here: the first and only FDA-registered, USDA-certified organic whole milk infant formula that meets both European and U.S. safety standards.

Unlike most formulas, Nara starts with whole milk—not skim—and skips palm oil, soy, corn syrup, GMOs, and artificial additives. Every ingredient is chosen with purpose, so parents can feel confident about what they’re feeding their little ones.

Created by moms, scientists, pediatricians, and nutritionists, Nara is made to nourish your baby naturally—without compromises.

Find Out What Makes Nara Different

Thank you to Nara Organics for sponsoring Note To Self. 

What is Gentle Parenting?

Gentle parenting sounds ideal, empathetic, patient, and emotionally attuned, but the reality is often messy. It’s not about being calm all the time or getting it “right.” It’s about pausing before reacting, setting boundaries without yelling, and seeing every meltdown as a chance to connect.

Experts say this style isn’t permissive or perfect. It takes more time upfront: teaching through choices, repetition, and natural consequences rather than punishment. It’s hard, especially if you weren’t raised this way. You’re learning, too.

And still, gentle parenting isn’t the only path to raising healthy, kind humans. There’s no perfect script. Just a willingness to stay present, repair when needed, and lead with compassion for your child and yourself.

You won’t always get it right. That’s okay. They’re learning from you anyway.

Wellness Round-Up

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: Matrescence is the word for the transition into motherhood.

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers’ lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: You’re allowed to need support. To rest. To be a whole person, not just a role. That, too, is part of showing up.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!