Parenting 101: lab study only.

     Imagine being thrown in to a lab study course with absolutely zero training, no tried and true lab books, and no real professor. That's what it’s like to be a parent. Sure, there are books aplenty but what worked for one parent may not work for you, and what worked for ten parents most likely gives you a headache, and you better believe that if it worked for every other parent you have ever met you can forget it having a snowballs chance in hell with you. You'll try every suggestion and your kid will still look at you in such a way that makes you positive that if your precious little angel could talk they'd be saying "ha! Yeah right, ya dummy, better luck next time!"

     The best part is that what one day was a gummy smiling little bundle of happiness will the next become a raging, teething, nonsleeping kick your kidneys till they are black and blue ball of fury (should you do what I did and keep the baby in bed with you). As we speak its 1030 pm and I firmly believe that the db's insistence at giving baby a couple sips of coke at the 8pm dinner has caused baby to be laying T-boning me and repeatedly using both feet to try to kick in my liver. I know of course that in about 10 minutes he will pass out and become Mommy’s little angel once more, but in the mean time I'm writing to keep my frustration at a minimum.
     The Dh may not always be around to hand baby off to, and I may get called in to take over when he decides he no longer knows what to do with baby, but at least he’s there! These single moms I know... well they are quite simply amazing. How DO they do it?! And I have an easy kid!! I mean, I have the world’s easiest going child! What I consider throwing a fit is equivalent to some of my friends kids minor fussing. My mom reminds me hourly how lucky I am and how abnormally mellow tempered my son is. Still, to me, we have our hair pulling moments, too. Typically it’s him pulling my hair though, as opposed to me pulling out my own. We couldn't both do it or I’d have no hair left.
     The point, of this rather pointless entry, is that there IS no studying for being a good parent, there's no perfect parent (though there are definitely really crappy ones out there), but we all do what we can and for THAT we should give ourselves a pat on the back... Or better yet, grab your best mommy friend and pat her on the back…preferably while sobbing outyou’re your frustrations, cause you all know none of us would make it without each other to lean on.
     One thing you can be sure of: there's always someone that's going to judge you... just don't let that person be yourself! Unless you're one of those crappy parents, but, since you're reading this, you probably aren't one of those. Love you all my mommy friends. You get me through the tough times.

1 comments:

Angie said...

Well put, exactly what I was thinking! (pats poor Cait on the back & gives her hugs while reaching for the tissue box that is ALWAYS just out of reach because the newly walking baby moved it to throw tissues alllll over the toy packed floors!)

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