Mom Confessions

I love the show Modern Family and the Mother's Day episode last week was hilarious.  Claire is a such an honest down to earth mom and Gloria feels bad thinking or saying anything bad about her Manny.  The characters Claire and Gloria each remind me of so many moms I know.  We all know that motherhood is hard, it's really hard and just as in any job or relationship its okay to blow off steam now and then.  In fact it's better to blow of steam in a reasonable manner than to take out aggressions on people.

I was listening to the radio the other morning when a woman said it's better to put your screaming baby down in a safe place and walk away for a few moments than too stay in the moment and try to console a screaming baby.  We all know there are times when babies cry and to us for no apparent reason.  I completely agree with her, however, a man in the studio said that some view that as a form of abuse...to leave a screaming child.  I wondered if the people who think that leaving a screaming child in a safe place for a few moments while you collect yourself has ever had a child??

We all do what we have to do to get through the day and if walking away for a moment to relax is the key then it's so be it.  If hiking to the top of a hill and screaming about your kids, like Claire and Gloria did, then do it.  We all need to relax somehow and the older the kids get the harder I'm finding parenting to be.  When they are babies and toddlers they are more physically exhausting.  My kids are 11, 9 and 4 and now they are more mentally and emotionally exhausting.  I'm living in a house with four other people, all of which now have their own personalities, likes and dislikes and little quirks.  All of my kids like to talk and talk and talk and talk.  I found it hilarious the other night when I was reading a magazine and found an article about a mom and her confessions.  She confessed that sometimes she nods and makes noises like she's listening to her kids when she's not!  I know I do that.  Then they'll ask me a question and I'll have to say, "I'm sorry what did you say again?"  and since they know me so we'll they'll say, "Mom!  You weren't even listening?"  They'll understand one day when they have kids.

As in life every person is different and every parent is different.  Some parents make their kids bath every single night.  I get to the point where I'll be like, "Nah, just bath tomorrow morning."

I am pretty good about making my kids finish their food and drink their milk unless we are at a social gathering.  I'm not the mom who sits there and makes her kid finish every bite of food before they can get up and play but I do make them eat most of their meal.

I do like to be near my kids but sometimes I just like to watch them play while I relax and read a magazine or something...especially in the summer.

I'll admit, sometimes I'm the one asking if we can watch television yet.

Sometimes the tooth fairy is unreliable and money ends up who knows where??  Mom's purse?

I try really hard to pay a regular allowance but get sidetracked easily.  I'm a "oh look a squirrel" kind of person.

I will admit that at times I've bribed, guilted, threatened and screamed at my kids to do things.

I do think that playgroups are really for the moms!!

“If I had my child to raise all over again, I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later. I’d finger-paint more, and point the finger less. I would do less correcting and more connecting. I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes. I’d take more hikes and fly more kites. I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play. I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars. I’d do more hugging and less tugging." Diane Loomans