A candid mum blogger has admitted how her love for her children can sometimes be strained.
Laura Mazza has won tens of thousands of followers for her honest takes on the trials and tribulations of parenting.
The 33-year-old from Melbourne, Australia's most recent Instagram post she explains exactly how emotionally tough raising little ones can be.
"I just want you to know that if you are my friend, you can say 'my kids were assholes today' without one look of judgement from me," she wrote.
"You should feel free to be able to say 'I want to run away today' without any pearl clutching."
Laura went on to detail some of the trickier parenting moments she had had that day.
"I broke up fights today, got frustrated today, raised my voice today, cried, consoled crying, felt guilty, felt happy, felt loved, gave love," she wrote.
"All in less than 24 hours.
"It’s hard. It’s hard for all of us."
She went on to question why she never felt able to say she could not be bothered with cooking dinner tonight, or that "reading with my kids makes me want to gouge my eyes out."
The post finished with a rallying call to similarly overstretched parents to not feel bad about sometimes being less than perfect.
"I want you to know that with me, you can say that and I’ll never think you don’t love your kids or you’re unappreciative," Laura wrote.
"Screw all the perfectionist attitudes, and the 'oh my children are blessings 24/7' grateful optimism.
"It doesn’t mean we don’t love our children, it doesn’t mean we aren’t grateful - but we are allowed to vent.
"Because you know what’s even harder than raising children?
"Pretending it’s not hard."
Laura's post clearly stirred something in fellow mums.
One woman wrote: "Yes 100% I love my daughter but she is such hard work.
"I want another child and I know that will be a challenge, (but) at the end of the day it’s worth it even though some days suck."
Another added: "YESSSSSSS to this.
"So happy to have someone to tell about the 8pm cereal dinner. You’re the best"
