Why do I feel the need to complain about having children?

Sharing both the beauty and challenge of parenthood reflects what it is to be human - and points us towards God, says Chine McDonald

I’d be embarrassed to reveal the amount of hours I’ve spent scrolling through pictures of my children. I’m obsessed with them. The love I feel for them is indescribable. Nothing compares to snuggling up with them, bearing witness to their minds expanding, and hearing them tell me they love me. There are times when I feel so much love for them that I could burst. 

“Children are a gift from God”, as we read in Psalm 127 (TLB). So why is it that when I’m out in public or talking to other mum friends, I don’t share the joy, but instead talk about how tired I am, complain about the mental load of having children or having to race home for pick-up when I’d much rather stay for drinks with my team? 

Since the release of my book Unmaking Mary: Shattering the myth of perfect motherhood (Hodder & Stoughton) much of my year has been spent talking about how difficult and imperfect the realities of motherhood are. I’ve encouraged people to share these negatives rather than put forward happy-shiny, sepia-tinged images of perfect motherhood. But maybe what we need is a bit of balance: an encouragement to share both the wonder and the challenge of parenting. 

There are many reasons why I personally find it easier to talk about the challenges. First…