Motherhood is a beautiful, chaotic, and often selfless journey. From the early morning wake-ups to the bedtime routines, moms pour their energy into making sure everyone else is thriving. But somewhere between packing lunches, wiping noses, and extracurriculars, it’s easy to lose sight of one incredibly important person: you.

Believe it or not, October has crept up on us and fall is already at its peak. The warm, lingering September afternoons are long behind us, and now is the time to savor those brisk 60-degree days before – let’s be honest – we blink and suddenly there’s snow on the ground. With this golden window of time comes the million-dollar question: how do I dress to impress without feeling like I’m in a costume?

“No one talks about the grief that comes with parenting. Knowing that as your child grows they will never be the person they were again… Your role is to train them to be independent. Yet your heart slowly breaks every time they need you a little less than they did before.”

A few weeks ago, Danee Reth, the Market Director of Sixx Cool Moms of Tampa Bay, asked a very powerful question in her group. How old were you when you first felt unsafe or sexualized by a man? The responses were so shocking that we decided to share them across our network to get a full picture of what the modern mom has experienced in her lifetime.