I read this post about my friend who… well… She was with her young kids, at a race track… with dirt… young kids… a race track… it was hot… Other mother’s children appeared to be behaving… THOSE mothers appeared to be enjoying their time at the race track with heat and dirt and children… I will not call them names, I will not call them names…
Has anyone ever been in that spot? You know, Every-other-mother-but-Me is smoothly negotiating the bends and curves of a public outing with her children. Jen’s story reminded me of a trip to the grocery store not-so-long-ago… like, last week.
Lucy, My Princess of Three (Reign of Terror)… Empress “Iwillnotbend”…. I digress. We were… In Public. Lucy decided she wanted to swim. In Public. To the check stand. I had a choice. Pretend I was the good mom The Public expects, OR know my devil daughter and choose my battles.
You wanna know what I did? I. Let. Her. Swim. Yes, on her belly, a few dozen agonizing feet to the check stand. Some bystanders were delighted, some ran to the bathroom to vomit and sanitize their hands because of all the disgusting floor germs my daughter was “swimming” through. I chose to focus on the delighted people. I was blessed that my checker was one of the delighted folk. I told her that I was choosing my battles and that the germs were of FAR LESS concern than what would happen if I tried to make Lucy please the germophobes. No one really knew that my choice was not only better for me and Lucy, but better for all products stored in glass within a one mile radius…
Of course, now she has developed a third head… BUT I think that was from the time I let her swim at the toxic waste facility we visited on that last preschool field trip. I think.
So, are Jen and I the only “bad moms” here? Hey You - You look a bit disheveled… I bet you have a story… Oh, and You - You just put on some lipstick - nice color! Work it. I know You have a good one… C’mon - misery LOVES company :) And You… Giiiiirl! Did You just get your nails done? I love the color you chose… was it mani-therapy??? I need mani-therapy, or pedi-therapy… I just told you why I need it… what’s your story?
We were there, and I felt bad for her. My kids are used to the racetrack, noises, dirt and boundries that have to be implied. It’s a new enviroment for them and it was a hard adjustment.
We have our moments. Yesturday leaving the kids salon and I woulnd’t let the littlest on have another sucker. We had a fit all the way to the car, me dragging him across the lot, hoping the cars would stop or at least swirve.
I think mom’s that don’t talk or have those moments are lying!
Oh honey, you know I have a story (or a billion). Dude, every single outing is like that for me. I hate it. It’s one of the reasons I avoid taking them anywhere alone.
I love you all from the bottom of my shriveled little heart.
No - I Love YOU!
Ummm, unfortuneatly I try to fight too many battles. I lose most of them.