Today at work I showed a friend a funny video of my kids sharing a popsicle. I had added subtitles to my 2-year old’s dialogue for the benefit of the viewers.
“I’m such a bad mom,” my friend sighed. “I don’t do this.”
“You don’t let them share popsicles?” I asked, puzzled by how her five-month old, not yet on solids, might be expected to share a frozen treat.
“I don’t take videos. I don’t do anything with our pictures.”
Ah, yes, I thought. You are obviously a terrible mom. Here you are, spending another day at work (so that your boys may one day go to college), having spent the first part of your morning taking them both to their well-check appointments (so that a doctor can make sure they are developing on track). Clearly, you are a crappy mom.
It made me wonder if the crafts and activities I post here make other people feel like they are slackers. My intent is to inspire you, dear rookie moms, but if you interpret these suggestions as hints at your inadequecies, I apologize.
Are you a bad mom? Here’s a quiz to help you find out.
- Have you been looking for a tutorial on how to tie-dye clothes for your babe? No? You suck.
- Are you willing to produce a handmade collage to put a new twist on family photos? Hmm, not willing? Not good.
- If you believe that our children inherit the earth, surely you will stop using plastic sandwich baggies and start using reusable cloth sacks. Not gonna happen? I’m writing you up.
- You don’t want to expose your children to plain, unembellished dish towels, do you? You do?!
SCORING: If you are reading a parenting-themed website, you are probably a Really Good Mom. If you are excited about any of my links, then I am a Really Good Blogger. Now if you want to be a Great Mom, like me, go get your video camera. Apparently it’s that easy.
If you’re still feeling inadequate, you should read this book
photo credit: wendolonia
I like to think I’m a good enough mom. I’d never buy all of the materials needed for tie-dye individually, but instead used that very tie-dye kit you have pictured to jazz up a bunch of kiddie shirts that were stained or ruined by my husband’s laundry skills (I still let him do all the laundry).
I’m very impressed by the subtitling, Great Mom.
Ha! How funny. I am constantly being ridiculed by my brothers because of my ability and willingness to quickly (and very often) pull out the camera and video camera. I guess they’re just jealous because I’m such a good mom
All I needed was the video camera! Wow. I wish they had told me that in the hospital.
Great post.
I love this post, Whitney! You cracked me up.
(Also, thanks for the linky love…)
What a great post. I’m one of the crafty, cloth-diapering, keep a blog and post pictures moms and I (yes, even I) feel inadequate sometimes. I have friends who feel the same way and are constantly asking me how I find time to do that stuff. One even started a hilarious blog about how she’s “so not that mom”. It’s http://www.sonotthatmom.blogspot.com.
WHY do we torture ourselves by comparing ourselves to other moms? No two are the same. We have to do what works for us. There is so much pressure on moms as it is (take it from a mom who works full-time outside the home). I say kiss your little ones good night, pour yourself a glass of wine at the end of the day, get your hubby to give you a 5-minute massage and pat yourself on the back for making it through another day.
Amen!
For everything we don’t do that other moms do…clearly there’s something that we do do that other moms don’t. (If you can follow that.)
Like I teach my kids all the lyrics to Fish Heads. So there.