But was her decision indulgent or essential? The Internet is divided.
“So I did something that some may think is selfish recently, but I really needed it,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
“I missed my daughter’s honour roll assembly so I could work out.”
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“I started to feel the guilt creep in as I made this tough decision, but then I remembered ME, and how hard Thanksgiving and the week that followed was with my husband travelling. How hard it was to deal with the tantrums that were never-ending… how hard it was to manage my anxiety, the house, the kids, the pets and work. And how hard it’s been to not have one single minute to myself.”
She explained to her daughter her reasoning for missing the ceremony but assured her that her father and grandmother would be there to support her.
“I talked to her about how proud I was of her, but let her know I have to work a game tonight and needed to take care of myself this morning,” she wrote.
“She understood and gave me a hug and thanked me for all I do for her. She also learned by example today that SELF-CARE matters.”
“Sometimes as parents, we have to make hard decisions and show up for ourselves instead of showing up for our kids,” she concluded. “And you know what? It’s not selfish – it’s called self-love.”
Many of her followers praised Kristen for leading by example.
“I love the lesson you taught your daughter: that you love her, and that you care deeply, but that you’re not always going to be there, and that that’s OK because she has the tools she needs to succeed and be OK on her own,” one user commented.
“I’m not sure I agree, but good on you for doing what you had to do to feel good,” another added. “Each to their own.”
Whatever side of the fence you sit on, there’s no doubting we all deserve to take a sec to reclaim our sanity at times. So, to all the mums out there; consider this your official permission to put yourself first.
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