Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh says ‘mom guilt is a myth’, urges mothers to focus on presence not perfection

Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh sparked an honest conversation on motherhood and self-expectations through her latest Instagram video. Speaking candidly, the entrepreneur addressed what many working mothers feel but rarely voice — the constant battle with “mom guilt.”

(Also read: ‘Being ready is a myth’: Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh reveals 7 life lessons women often learn too late)

‘Mom guilt is just high expectations’

In the video, Alagh said, “Mom guilt is a myth. Agastya is 10 years old and it took me 10 years to realise that mom guilt is not guilt. It’s just high expectations that we set for ourselves. I realised I was feeling guilty for not being two people at once. And I chose to reframe it.”

She added that she has learnt to focus on quality time with her children rather than the quantity of time spent. “I don’t give my kids quantity of time. I give them quality of my presence. When I’m with them, the phone goes away. We are not raising kids who need a full-time guilt-ridden mother. That doesn’t help. We are raising kids who see their mother pursuing her passion and creating a legacy. A happy mom,” she explained.

Take a look here at the clip:

Her empowering reminder to mothers

Alagh captioned the post with an empowering note: “Save this post, mothers. Because you need this reminder next time that mom guilt kicks in. Mom guilt is burnout dressed up as love. Your kids don’t need a perfect mother, they need one that’s present. When you’re with them, be all in. When you’re working, own that space. You’re not torn between two lives, you’re teaching them what it looks like to build one with purpose. Stop letting the guilt lie to you. You’re just doing two incredibly hard things at once. You are enough.”

Social media reaction

The heartfelt post resonated with many online. One user commented, “I was the mom who needed to hear this big time. Thank you so much for bringing this up.” Another said, “This really speaks to me. Being a mom and running a brand is tough, but showing up fully in both feels enough. We’re doing more than we give ourselves credit for.”

A user added, “Needed this… thank you so much,” while another wrote, “Someone read my heart.” Many expressed gratitude for Alagh’s words, with one saying, “I was constantly buried under this guilt. Thanks for breaking this myth. Now I can be a happy mom too.” Another described the post as “truly motivational for all working mothers.”