Are you struggling to be the perfect mom? Do you have a friend who appears to have it all together while you feel like you are coming apart at the seams? Do you have this idea of what the perfect mom looks like and how she behaves, but you are falling short in comparison? In chapter one of the book No More Perfect Moms author Jill Savage calls this the “Perfection Infection.” Let’s take a look at this disease we are suffering from and see if we can help one another find a cure!
No More Perfect Moms – Chapter 1 – The Perfection Infection
Every mom I know wants to be a genuine and authentic mom, yet she feels as though she is running crazy with the responsibilities of motherhood the same way a circus performer does when keeping all those plates spinning on long skinny poles. And when one of those plates comes crashing down, Mom feels the guilt and shame of not having everything in her life and family perfectly balanced.
In Chapter 1 of No More Perfect Moms we learn about some of the traps we moms often find ourselves in.
- The Comparison Game – In reality, our less-than-perfect life will never measure up to the seemingly-perfect life of another. No matter how hard we try, we’ll never win at the comparison game.
- The Wearing of The Mask – We all wear one (or more), going to great lengths to appear as though we ‘have it all together’. We hide our struggles for fear of appearing less than we ought. We put on a smile so others won’t know we are really crying inside.
With images of ‘perfection’ bombarding us from every direction these days, it seems more difficult than ever to be an authentic mom, to embrace our imperfections and let others know the ‘real me.’ Enter in “The Perfection Infection”. We compare, we put on our mask, we become discontent, we become critical of our husbands and children, then we raise our expectations. And we become infected – infected with the desire for perfection. We want perfect husbands, perfect children, perfect bodies, and perfect homes.
These things keep us at arms length from our friends, our family, and our God. If we don’t give ourselves a reality check, we’ll become disappointed and disillusioned. Near the end of this chapter, Jill tells us about a request she made in a blog post, asking women to “share a one-word description of how they were feeling that day.” Very few of their answers positive. That tells me we women are too hard on ourselves. This “Perfection Infection” we are suffering from is choking the grace and joy out of our lives and our families.
Motherhood is full of amazing moments, great joy and beautiful relationships. If we are caught up in this comparison game and we are wearing those ‘perfect’ masks, we are missing out. So are our families. Can we really be authentic moms and still be good moms? The author challenges the reader to put away “being fake” because it cheats us of deeper relationships. How about being real with ourselves, with one another and with our families? Wouldn’t that be refreshing? Wouldn’t that be freeing? But how? In tomorrow’s post we will take a look at Chapter 2 and discuss the ‘antidote’ for the Perfection Infection. Come back and join us for the discussion!
Now, for a special treat – – Mandy, Misty and Bridget share their video discussion of Chapter 1.
Are you a victim of the Perfection Infection? How do you combat it?
If you’d like a copy of No More Perfect Moms you can find it at the author’s website or by doing a search at your favorite book supplier. You’ll find all the posts in the series by clicking on the image below. I hope you’ll join me!

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