Motherhood often robs women of the dreams they once had – from having a career and traveling the world to simply getting eight hours of sleep every night, every mother has something they’ve sacrificed to fulfill their maternal duties. If your mom has been especially silent and gazing out the window lately, here’s how to spot the signs that your mother is envisioning all of the lives she did not get to live because of you and your siblings having been born.
She keeps taking out her photo album.
Oh, the old photo album that she often pulls out to remind you that she was your size once, too. If you catch her gazing at a picture of her high school prom date a little too long, don’t be surprised if he randomly starts coming over for the holidays.
You catch her staring at you with a scowl.
Did your mom get pregnant with you during a pivotal moment in her career? Or did she have to decline trips to Miami with her girlfriends because you kept biting every babysitter she hired? All those years of pent-up resentment are probably bubbling inside of her. Just know that it is not your fault, even if it is just a little.
Her aesthetic changes.
Has she traded in her usual mom wear for pieces you’ve never imagined she’d put on? One week she’s serving Olivia Newton-John and the next she’s a Fashion Nova Insta baddie. This is a clear indication that Mom is seriously contemplating the lives she never lived, and perhaps even wondering if it’s not too late to make a change. Watch out for this one.
You wake up with gasoline poured all over you.
When you were watching Hereditary together, did she get a little too into the movie? Did she clap after Toni Collette’s dinner monologue? If so, just make sure you keep your door locked at night and sleep with one eye open.
Motherhood is often a difficult and thankless journey. With society expecting women to sacrifice their individual aspirations for the sake of their families, it is understandable that some mothers daydream of alternative lifestyles. If this sounds like your mom, look out for these telltale signs that she’s pondering of all the different lives she did not get to live, and help her through it by signing her up for a pottery class, or maybe finally moving out. Good luck!
