Michelle Obama recently <a title="Michelle_Obama_motherhood" href="http://celebritybabies.people.com/2011/10/19/how-michelle-obama-tries-to-make-a-normal-life-for-her-kids/" target="_blank">talked to People magazine</a>about the challenges she faces as a mother -- trying to maintain a "normal" family life and raising two daughters in the national spotlight.

[caption id="attachment_589" align="alignright" width="224" caption="Michelle Obama&#39;s official photograph"]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Michelle_Obama.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-589" title="Michelle_Obama" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Michelle_Obama-224x300.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /></a>[/caption]

“Like any mother, I am just hoping that I don’t mess them up,” the First Lady told People Magazine.

Most mothers can relate to her concern, even if we can't imagine the added motherhood stress any mom would have to feel living such a public life.

The truth is, while none of the rest of us have to face the scrutiny of parenting in public that Michelle Obama does, we're all being watched and judged every day. By our friends who seem to have their mothering act all together.  By sisters whose careers are taking off, while we are just stay-at-home-mommies. By our mothers or mother-in-laws, who cannot seem to keep themselves from tidying up our houses when they visit.

[caption id="attachment_590" align="alignleft" width="217" caption="Benjamin and Jonathan on a Big Wheel - what a good big brother!"]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/BenjJonBigWheel.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-590 " title="BenjJonBigWheel" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/BenjJonBigWheel.jpg" alt="" width="217" height="312" /></a>[/caption]

One day, when Benjamin was three years old,I found myself turtle-ing down the stairs at church behind him. We were talking about his day at PALS, the mothers' morning out preschool, where I am currently the director. He would take one step down, stop and tell me something else about his day. Then slowly turn and take another step.

I wanted to hear what he had to say. But I also desperately wanted to pick him up and get him down the stairs and head for home!

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, we were greeted by the smiling face of Mrs. Hilda Candler, then the director of PALS. Hilda said, "You seem like such a good mother. You are SO patient with Benjamin."

What a blessing! Just a few words of encouragement, helping me to focus on my strengths as a mother, rather than my shortcomings.  Even now, years later, I am grateful for the people, like Hilda, who found ways to encourage me, and so many other young mothers.

That memory reminds me that I, too, can make a difference in the lives of young mothers, by finding ways to point out their strengths as moms. In doing so, I hope to also ease that performance stress that mothers so often feel

Performance anxiety is one of the motherhood's most common and crippling stressors.  And we don't have to be Michelle Obama to feel it.

[caption id="attachment_591" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Benjamin stopping to look at me, as he was climbing on a playground"]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Benjamin-playground.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-591" title="Benjamin playground" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Benjamin-playground-300x211.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="211" /></a>[/caption]