Mom Brain is Real, and I Have the Receipts.
I used to be sharp. Quick thinking AND quick witted. On top of my calendar, my keys, and my train of thought. Now? There are days where a coherent train of thought feels like a distant memory, I have to leave a room only to walk back into it to remember what I was initially going to get, and I once found my phone in the fridge.
Welcome to Mom Brain—where the mental load is high, the sleep is low (even after a decade in), and the executive functioning is... under review.
What Is Mom Brain, Really?
It's not just forgetfulness. It’s the side effect of juggling a never-ending list of invisible tasks:
Scheduling doctor appointments (for everyone, but rarely yourself).
Remembering it’s pajama day at school or camp (and that one kid hates pajamas).
Keeping track of who ate a vegetable this week.
Knowing which kid has which sock preference.
It’s keeping the household running on mental spreadsheets no one else sees—and no one else updates. (Ever.)
Real-Life Evidence That Mom Brain is a Thing
Here’s just a small sampling from my personal Mom Brain archives:
Tried to text my husband that dinner was in the oven. Texted the pediatrician instead. He was very gracious about it.
Put the remote in the fridge. Found it the next day next to the milk.
Cried in the car because I forgot to move the laundry again. Then forgot why I was crying.
Said “we need toilet paper” 14 times in my head. Still forgot to buy it.
And the kicker? I still remembered to send in a $2 donation for “Wear Yellow for Your Houseplant” Spirit Day, or whatever it actually was.
Why It Happens (and Why You’re Not Crazy)
The brain fog is real. Studies show that the cognitive load of parenting—especially when combined with lack of sleep, emotional labor, and multitasking—can impact memory, attention, and decision-making.
Add in working, caregiving for aging parents, and the general noise of modern life, and it’s no wonder our brains feel like overstuffed junk drawers.
How to Survive Mom Brain Without Losing Your Mind
1. Write It Down. All of It.
Grocery lists, school events, that thing you just thought of—get it out of your brain and onto paper, an app, or the back of a Target receipt. Your brain is not a filing cabinet. Let it rest. My Notes app is my most used app and I have the actual receipts for that.
2. Create Systems for Forgetfulness
Keys go in the same place. Set reminders on your phone for everything (yes, even showers). Create habits that don’t rely on memory. A wonderful resource for this is James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits. I’m a big fan of habit stacking, which is when you build a new habit by pairing it before or after an already existing habit!
3. Laugh About It
If you don’t laugh at trying to microwave your coffee with your phone inside the mug, you might cry. (Or both. That’s allowed.) In the last few years of my Dad being a school administrator at the height of Covid times, he came up with a saying that has really stuck with me. “Find the silly in the serious and you’ll go far.” When I’m most overstimulated yet still able to access my rational/logical brain, I use this strategy and find something to laugh about. There are many times that I cry due to motherhood and all the demands of it, but I really do try to choose laughter when I can.
4. Share the Load
Mental labor should not be a one-woman show. Talk to your spouse or partner. Make the invisible visible. You’re not the only one capable of remembering dentist appointments. Eve Rodsky, founder of the Fair Play Institute, has some incredible resources to help parents talk through sharing the load of life and parenting responsibilities.
5. Give Yourself Grace
You’re not broken. You’re stretched. And even when your brain feels like scrambled eggs, you’re still showing up. I promise that your kids would rather have a relaxed, present Mom than a super stressed and overwhelmed Mom. You showing up for your kids and family matters more than anything.
Final Thoughts from the Land of Forgotten Coffee Cups
Mom Brain doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re doing a lot. It means your brain is busy carrying emotional, logistical, and physical weight—all while trying to remember if you already added pasta to the boiling water.
So here’s your reminder: You are not alone. You are not broken. You are just human, in the busiest, most demanding stage of life, regardless of how old your kids are.
Now go check the laundry. Or don’t. It’ll still be there tomorrow.
Love you, mean it.