For every Pinterest board filled with clever crafts, marvelous meals and perfect parties, there’s a day filled with cranky kids, drive-thru dinners and a mom on the verge of a meltdown. We all know that real-life motherhood is as rewarding as it is challenging. And that perfection is an unrealistic — and even unhealthy — goal. The following five mom bloggers get it. They strive to help readers be better parents — and people — by providing realistic advice and sharing their experiences. If you’re not doing so already, visit their sites for their smart, fun, unfiltered looks at life as a real mom.

Mom Beyond Mom

Breanna, mother of 7-year-old and 2-year-old girls, is a dedicated mother who realizes that she also needs time to herself in order to be an effective parent. While her blog offers practical advice on parenting, food and style, she’ll be the first to admit she’s not always at 100 percent. “Some days I think I’m Superwoman,” Breanna says on her site. “ … and then there are days I feel like I could be over my head.”

A few of our favorite Mom Beyond Mom posts:

• How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Veggies
• Today I Came Unglued
• How to Write in Your Journal Like a Boss

Scary Mommy

Moms (and dads!) writing for this site cover all aspects of parenthood, from getting pregnant to dealing with an empty nest. Far from preachy, authors give “tips for imperfect parents” because they aren’t perfect themselves. Always thought provoking, and sometimes controversial, be sure to check out the lively discussions in their comments sections.

A few of our favorite Scary Mommy posts:

• How Dads Can Empower Their Daughters
• Am I Really a Dream Killer? My Toughest Parenting Dilemma so Far
• #NotSorry: 25 Things We Need to Stop Apologizing For

My Mommy Manual

Suzanne, mother of four, and her husband run a holistic health center in the St. Louis area. While her blog concentrates on raising emotionally healthy children, it stresses that moms shouldn’t be obsessed with perfection. Suzanne also emphasizes that, while each mom’s journey is different, parents can and should support one another. “None of us carry the same manual. It is our to write. But we don’t have to write it alone.”

A few of our favorite Mommy Manual posts:

• When I Stop Trying so Hard
• Teaching Kids Emotional Intelligence
• How to Get Kids to Listen Without Yelling

Less Than Perfect Parents

The four moms writing for this site acknowledge straight away that no mom is June Cleaver or Martha Stewart. Instead, they offer healthy recipes, craft ideas and organization tips to help readers be the best parents they can be. A quote on the site best sums up their philosophy, “There is no way to be a perfect mother but a million ways to be a good one.”

A few of our favorite Less Than Perfect Parents posts:

• How to Avoid the Homework Tug-of-War
• Easier Mornings
• Zucchini Noodles With Meatballs

Uncharted Parent

This blog documents one mom’s continuing journey through parenthood and what she’s learned along the way. Tracy shares stories of raising one biological child and one adopted child, views on how various social issues affect parenting, and more. She aims to be a fellow traveler more than a guide, because “every parent goes where no parent goes where no parent has gone before.

A few of our favorite Uncharted Parent posts:

• The Lecture Years
• Help Your Tween Start the School Year Right — With an Organized Closet
• If You Give a Cat a Ribbon*

It bears repeating: “being a real mom is real challenging.” But with the help of these bloggers, it’s reassuring to know you’re far from alone.