Before we became mothers, most of us had fairly clear notions of the kinds of parents we wanted to be— and extremely clear notions of the mothers we would not, under any circumstances, ever be.

 Our children would eat whatever was on their plates.

 Our children would be screen-free until kindergarten.

 Our children would never hear anything but their mothers’ most dulcet of tones.

 And then we became mothers.

 We asked you to tell us the mothers you swore you’d never be— and yet somehow are. (Once in a while.) In this episode we share our own confessions and commiserate with you all.

 No food in the living room?

 No crying it out?

 No plastic toys?

 How’d that work out?

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