That's what I want to shout (beg? sob?) when I see a mom giving me looks as my kid misbehaves. Today I had a woman - older, probably raised perfect little angels - actually put her hands over her ears, shoot me a "Get your act together, mom" look as Annie shouted-out in the grocery store (okay....it was more of an undignified "You will let me eat this bagel right now you witchy woman!' shriek...but lady, let's abandon the histrionics).
And again today: the children's section of the library has a toddler / young child computer station - lots of little games where you color pictures in with a mouse, or practice matching, numbers, clicking, all of that. Of course, Annie is smitten with it, and I abhor those colorful keyboards and the monitors that beckon with Elmo and ducks and kittens. The point of the library is to get away from that sort of stuff (due to me, she is now obsessed with Sesame Street and she has forever been in love with our laptops and cellphones). I want her to read - digest - and not just sit in front of a screen, but I oblige for a bit (if only to avoid a meltdown and for me to grab a few books from the kiddie stacks). So there she was, sitting there on her own while I was about 15 feet away, thinking she's hot stuff and clicking on nothing in particular when she starts yelling, "Daaaad! Daaaaaad!" (Of course.) A mom, regaled in an (organic cotton, I'm sure) Ergo Carrier (it's like a baby Bjorn but even more expensive, and no, we don't have one) looks at Annie, looks at me, proceeds to roll her eyes and shake her head. When gathering her toddler, who asked to use the computers, she said, "No, we don't use those honey," very pointedly. And I know I sound bitter, and defensive, and all of that, but get off your damn high horse lady. Take your attachment parenting self, your cloth diapers, and your holier-than-thou behavior to the Whole Foods and just quit it. (Disclaimer: I have nothing against cloth diapers - we used ourselves for several months - and attachment parenting...well, only when it's used for evil.)
We are all just trying our best. I have an 18-month-old who is (true to form) testing her (and her parents') limits and finding her voice, and yeah, she drives me over the edge at times, but I try to be respectful (we left the library shortly after Annie had a mini-tantrum when I said she had to abandon the computers). Matt and I want nothing more than to raise a well-behaved child, but there will be outbursts and absolutely, I will sit her front of the screen to get something done. And I would never admonish the woman who has a screeching toddler - sympathy and support all around - because these kids are f'in nuts.
I've just been noticing - of course, not from all - but some parents my own little version of the "mommy wars" among the stay-at-home bunch. These women be cray, yo. It's like when I flipped open the latest issue of Kiwi magazine (the magazine for "raising kids the healthy and organic way!"...yeah, I know....that was my first mistake) and saw a column about how to make your little one's party more healthy for the planet and a woman wrote in who was absolutely perplexed how she could go green as her kid is asking for a party at the local bowling alley. (I mean, the horror.) The response from the columnist was something like, "This is the perfect opportunity to educate the staff at the bowling alley what going green really means...indicate you do not want disposable serving ware, etc etc". NO JOKE. Oh, the GULL. This is what I hate. Please, yes, let's lecture the employee at the bowling alley (who is probably not making a living wage) on how Atticus' party will be green (their names are always Atticus or something in that vein, too).
I bring stuff like this up to Matt (who completely agrees) but never neglects to add, "Well, you're a bit self-righteous too you know, just in a different way."
Yeah, Matt, I know: it's called the good way.
Yeah, Matt, I know: it's called the good way.
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| My arch nemesis (the computers, not the kids). Photo courtesy of phoenixvillelibrary.org. |
Ahhhh. As a mother of an only child who is now 14 I do not claim to know it all. In fact I probably know very little. However, with that being said, I would like to give you some advice. "Let it Go". Trust me, it's only going to get a lot worse. Once your daughter starts realizing what other kids have and "Why can't I have that?" you will be dealing with a whole other entity. Also, the competition of birthday theme parties and who is coming - should I get a princess, magician or Barney? And then there is the "Bus Stop". That is what put me over the edge. Unfortunately, my daughter was about 9 when I finally realized not to give a damn about anything except for what is good for us and our immediate family. I developed a calmness and a devil may care attitude. We just bought our first flat screen television at Christmas and our daughter got her first cell phone in middle school and it is not an I phone like all her friends have! Just "Let it Go". You will be much calmer if you do.
ReplyDeleteYou mean that angelic, towheaded, cute-as-a-button 'lil creature in the flowery sunhats of your previous posts has meltdowns and mini-tantrums?! Say it ain't so, Kathryn. She is absolutely perfect and delightful--and smart! She is probably coding and you just don't know it. I love being a G-ma! MONG
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the comment from MONG and the post.
ReplyDeleteI always love the posts about your love for Matt and Annie, and also the feisty ones--honesty, humor--and we are all in it together.
Nancy