Through various circumstances, I have become friends with a lot of moms. Whether we were friends in high school and they had babies or got married and are having babies or had babies when I met them or sadly, had babies and lost them (don't listen to what anyone says, you're still a mom). Regardless, this letter is to you.

Dear Mom Friends,

First and foremost, congratulations on your babies. Whether they're newborns or in their thirties, you deserve an insurmountable amount of praise. Day after day, you do the best you can to make their lives as simple as possible. Probably sacrificing the amount of time you would have spent binge watching your favorite show and drinking a bottle of win for changing diapers and running errands for your babies.

Keep posting and bragging about your child's accomplishments. While they are your child's accomplishments, they're your accomplishments too. After all, you made that. You get all the credit. Also, don't listen to people who say you post too much. Nobody important ever gets mad over someone else's happiness.

I'm proud of you. If you haven't heard it in a while, you're hearing it now. You model strength and dignity when facing all the difficult challenges that having kids seems to bring. You put your own desires to the side so you can provide your children with the best lives possible. Some of you do it alone, and for that, you should be proud. As a child raised by a single parent for some of her life, your kids will one day grow up and express to you just how much they appreciate every thing you've done for them.

It's okay to feel like a failure, but you're not. You made a human and carried it around with you. That, in itself, is an accomplishment. Not everyone can do that, men certainly can't. So use that and feel empowered by it. Your body doesn't have to be perfect, nobody can tell you how to get back into your old routine after a baby, and chances are, you're a better mom doing what you know how to do and not what everyone else thinks you should do.

Raising a child is hard (I've watched a lot of people do it) and one day, I hope to be as good a mom as all of you. Your determination when times get tough, willingness to drop your child off at games, school, after-school activities, dances, friends, and pride in your child is so amazing to see, whether in person or social media. You're hardworking, self-sufficient, and independent.

Lastly, one day your kids will grow up and realize just how much they appreciate all that you've done for them. So if you aren't getting recognized now, someday, you will.