I realize many of us (moms) share positive highlights and fun photos of
our lives on social media, sometimes making us envious of each other. I don't know anyone whose life is complete bliss and never has anything go wrong. And I'm hoping I'm not alone in saying not
every parenting moment is a joyous one.
My first mistake of today was
thinking I could run in to Costco to develop a few pictures and then
grab a card at Walmart with a sick, terrible twos, toddler in tow. Let
me just throw in, my biggest pet peeve at Costco is cars who sit and
wait for a parking spot just to be 10 feet closer to the door and hold
up the rest of the line behind them. Even worse, I hate when people sit
and wait for me when I have my purchases, a baby, and a stroller to load
in the car and I'm literally parked in the last spot in the row. People,
you would get in the store quicker by just parking and walking farther!
Anyway, then I'm pretty sure my child was everyone's worst nightmare in
Walmart by either making a scene or throwing a tantrum in every stinkin isle.
He's like a dog who has to sniff every blade of grass on a walk, and has
to touch everything! You embarrassingly get one of two looks trying to
make it through the store: the "I feel bad and I'm glad I'm not you"
look, or the "control your bratty kid" look. Both leave you feeling
shameful and wondering why you even bother leaving the house with your
child anymore. But finally you leave the Walmart with less dignity than
you walked in with (imagine that) and get in the car to find nothing on
the radio but commercials and Justin Bieber. I'm pretty sure that was
just so my patience trying day could get the last laugh.
Mom is one of
the funnest but also one of the hardest job titles to live up to and be
full time. Literally full time, as in ALL the time. Like with other jobs
and careers, us moms don't get to turn in our badge at 5 o'clock and
take off the rest of the night. We don't get weekends to focus on ourselves and
relax. Sure we get to "stay home" but it's not like we spend the day
eating bon bons in our underwear watching Gilmore Girls reruns, because
that would be nice. No, we feed and clean up after our little people all
day (and many times our husbands as well), we take the dog out and
clean the house. We get the car washed and run everyone to appointments
and activities. And yes, often times we have to brave the stores with
our little monsters, little monsters we wouldn't trade for anything. So
next time you're out and about don't judge the mom on her child's
behavior in a moment you catch her in. She is probably an awesome mom and her children are most likely just as
great. What you don't know from watching her in this one instance is
that she'd been up all night with a sick toddler who wouldn't take his
nap and just wanted to get a card to send her sick grandfather. Moms and kids need a change of scenery too. Give mom
a break. Offer her help. Praise her on a job well done. There is only
one person moms rarely think of focusing or spending time on...herself.
I love being a mom. It is the lifelong job I always dreamed of having. Sometimes I feel as though my heart could burst from how much love it holds for my son, Rhett. Unfortunately, I'm still human and have my moments of weakness, exhaustion, and impatience. But you would be mistaken if you didn't think I put my best effort in what every day throws at me in raising him. I want him to be an independent, hard working, respectful person as he grows up. I will teach him the best I can those values. Even after a frustrating day, as I'm finishing typing this rant, he runs over to me pretending to blow his racing flag from Monster Jam as a trumpet, making me laugh.
Mom needs her children as much as they need her so please, just give her a break and trust that she's doing the best she can.
