Yeah, let me explain:
As a mom, I guess I can be a little hard on myself at times. All mothers are. And, as much as I try to resist--I always end up playing the comparison game. Everyone hates that game, but no one seems to have figured out a way to stop playing.
So, when my two-year old starts screaming and crying in public, one of my first thoughts is usually, "No--really, she's not a brat! She's just a two year old! Don't judge my mothering!!"
I know, I know....pathetic. But, it's the truth.
So, when I see other kids scream and cry in public and I watch the mom and/or dad's face plummet with humiliation and frustration, I have to give a little smile their way. First of all, because I find that little, understanding smile encouraging. But mostly, I smile as a thank you. Thank you for making me feel normal. Thank you for helping me know that by nature toddlers are just fussy human beings. Their emotions are a roller coaster we can't get off of. It's not just my daughter that has the occasional desire to reek havoc on the ears of everyone in the grocery store--there are other toddlers with the same thing goin' on. I know, because I've heard them. Who hasn't?
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So again, THANK YOU all you parents out there with sweet kids that just don't know how to control all their emotions yet. Thank you for dealing with their public bouts of rage and inconsolable sorrow--even though I know it can feel hard, humiliating, and sometimes like you want to punch a hole in the wall. Thank you, because I have a little one just like yours, and it's nice to know we're all in the same boat--trying as best we can to raise good kids. THANK YOU for making me feel better about myself....maybe that's not such a great comfort to you in the midst of the battle of tears, but I thank you all the same!
*applause*
ReplyDeleteI went to a baby shower lately where they did that "give advice to the new mom" thing, and someone's advice was "don't parent with your ego". As in, don't change the way you handle your child just because you're in public and people can see you/judge you. I loved that!
(Also, "they're emotions" - I appreciate that too because even though that's a pet peeve of mine I can't keep my grammar straight lately either! Mom brain...I swear the placenta takes a part of your brain along with it...)
Seriously! That is great advice and REALLY hard for me to listen to! :p
DeleteThanks for the grammar correction BLEH mommy brain! Also, I wrote this around midnight last night.....so, that's my other excuse haha! They're their. its it's, mom's moms'....it all annoys me when I see it in other's writing, I'm glad you pointed it out--how embarrassing! ;)
other people's writing......maybe ^wasn't incorrect, but that sounds better. I just feel like when I'm writing a comment about grammar it should sound well written.....oh forget it haha!
DeleteHahahaha! You're so funny. I got you ;) and dang I always forget to check and see if you replied to blog comments! Doh.
DeleteAnd yeah it's hard advice for me to take too, especially with the unsolicited advice you can get and the judgy looks people can give! Ugh. Why do people gotta be all up in parent's business?!
The other day Daisy was eating a snack in the grocery store and a lady was like "oh she has something in her mouth! She might choke!" And I was like "no, that's food, I gave it to her" because internally I was super irked that she was in my business and that was the nicest thing I could get out at the time. Luckily Chris was there too and he is much nicer than I am. She explained that she always says something because you just never know and she didn't want to see a kid start choking, and Chris thanked her and was super pleasant. So I think that social exchange ended up alright. Hahaha.