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 Burbia Blogs- added on 03/11/2008Confessions Of A Bad MomI have never made a cupcake in the shape of a bunny, and I think the world should know it. I will never reupholster a chair using recycled grocery bags or craft adorable Halloween treats out of licorice and candied violets. I have never been to a PTA meeting. Once I told my son I'd have lunch with him at school -- and forgot to go.  Sally Owen, who lives in North Carolina, holds down a fulltime job and also manages a household that...read more I have surfed the web at work, looking for tips to get children to do chores, and I have ignored screams and crashing at home because I was on a business call. Three cleaning ladies have quit on us -- because our house was too dirty. Once, I gave my children pizza crusts for dinner. Not pizza, just crusts. I myself had beer. These confessions might sound extreme, but they're not. I know this because most of my friends are like me. This insight I owe to what I call "the Havarti cheese epiphany." This happened one day when I went to my friend Sue's house. Sue has three sons, is a talented artist and a lovely person who lives in a house in the woods. I was feeling very envious and inadequate in her presence until I went to the bathroom and saw, on the back of the toilet, a greasy, empty wrapper from a package of Havarti cheese. I almost cried. Because it was just the kind of thing you might find on the back of the toilet at my house. That, or a plastic dinosaur or half a peanut butter sandwich. I know there are millions of women like me. Millions of women in this country (and probably others) who find that the daily demands of running a household, raising kids and holding down a job are simply kicking their ass. So I hope that this blog will provide a Havarti cheese moment for every mom who reads it. At some point, in reading about my life, they'll say, "Hey, I have a bunch of dead animals in my freezer, too." Or, "Thank God I'm not the only one who hates to play with my children." I offer no guidance or advice; I promise that all events described herein are true, although I do reserve the right to exaggerate. And, if not, dear reader, feel free to sneer, secure in the knowledge that all the cheese in your house is safe in the designated drawer of your refrigerator, as you recall with contempt how you built an entire pirate ship out of paper towel rolls for your child's last birthday. But the rest of you -- read on. ...read more blogs markbecker ??Tue, 03/11/2008 ?? 13:39
  funny stuff - submitted by JMH on 03/11/2008
shine on you crazy diamond Ha, my kind of mom! Who says - submitted by Anonymous on 03/11/2008
Ha, my kind of mom! Who says you have to be buttoned up to be a great mom. Pizza crusts sound fine to me for lunch Confessions - submitted by Cheryl Lawrence on 03/11/2008
Keith said this was funny, and I agree! I was laughing with the kids last night about some of my terrible parent moments (I was late for the Mother's Day sing-a-long when Eric was in preschool!). Then I reminded Katherine of one of her terrible child moments. She was asked in kindergarten to write about "What My Parents Do." She wrote, "My Mom washes dishes. My Dad sits on the sofa and eats potato chips." So don't sweat it. They won't even remember the pizza crust supper! right on - submitted by Anonymous on 03/11/2008
Time to start an anti-Martha Stewart, anti-Real Simple kind of magazine for Moms who not only are not perfect but do not waste time and energy aiming for perfection. i know so many "good" moms who are so devoted to making everything Perfect that they don't actually have time to just be with their family and let their kids see them as real. i once gave my kids nilla - submitted by tiredinillinois on 03/11/2008
i once gave my kids nilla wafers for dinner twice in a week. it took me months to stop feeling guilty. oh yea, i also gave them milk. they're now 2 great teens and great kids, don't think they were harmed and i agree we oughta stop trying to be perfect parents all the time and give us a break. our kids need to see us as real people and if sometimes we're too darn tired to make the perfect meal, that's ok in my opinion wasn't elliot spitzer, gov - submitted by Anonymous on 03/11/2008
wasn't elliot spitzer, gov of ny, supposed to be the perfect father & hub? how'd that work out. not pasta night - submitted by JMH on 03/12/2008
We refer to any dinner that is not spaghetti or mac & cheese as not pasta night. JMH, not pasta night is a - submitted by tryingharder on 03/12/2008
JMH, not pasta night is a good one, we'll have to use it. We've been calling it pb&j night. Love your story! - submitted by selfhelpstuff on 03/12/2008
Thanks for sharing this. Makes me feel better. I have the same challenges, and I don't even have kids, just way more things on my plate than I know what to do with. Working on that though ;-) marrige - submitted by Anonymous on 03/12/2008
i love you Whew! another kindred spirit.... - submitted by MBP on 03/25/2008
When my daughter was learning to tell time at school, the teacher gave them a sheet of paper with "empty" clocks and they were required to correctly place the minute and hour hands on the clock according to an assigned daily task. My daughter correctly placed the hands on the clock at 8:30 p.m. as the time "your family eats dinner." The teacher marked it as an incorrect entry. My daughter was livid. "But mom, that really is the time we get around to eating dinner, isn't it? "Yes, honey -- you're right -- your teacher is wrong. I'll write you a note to explain. Little did I tell the teacher that getting a meal on the table at 8:30 wasn't always a given! Sometimes it wasn't until nine and at that point who really cares? Bring out the cold cereal or Ramen noodles! :) Moms Can't Win - submitted by Anonymous on 06/05/2008
My daughter, Katie, had a first grade assignment: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and "What do your parents do?" Family reality: Her mom was starting a house cleaning service, her companion was working as a carpenter while waiting to resume his high school teaching career, and I, her (divorced) dad, was happily retired. Katie's report: "I want to be a nature scientist. My mom is a cleaning lady, her boyfriend is a handyman, and my dad doesn't do anything."  |
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