The imperfect mother

I'm not the best mother in the world. If you've had a rough parenting day and need to lift your spirits, just look at the list below and take comfort in the knowledge that I screw up every day:

  • I send my kids out in wrinkled clothing.
  • I don't always make sure their teeth are cleaned and their hair is brushed in the morning.
  • I put the TV on so that I can spend time in front of the computer.
  • I sometimes find chores to do when my kids ask me to play Monopoly or Candyland with them.
  • When CleanBoy comes to us in the morning and asks for breakfast because he's hungry, I tell him to wait 10 minutes. Or I ask The Pea to help him get breakfast.
  • I've withheld our regulary bedtime story as punishment.
  • I once put 3Po in the corner for a time-out and forgot all about him.
  • I've forgotten to pick The Pea up from school.
  • I've sent The Pea out on a playdate, forgetting that one of her other friends was on her way here for a playdate that I scheduled.
  • I give in way too often when they hear the ice cream man coming and ask for a treat.
  • I yell at them way too much.


But despite all of the awful things I've done, my kids love me anyway. So on this Mother's Day, when everyone is saying Thank You Mom, I'm also saying Thank You Kids.

4 comments:

Vered said...

This is great!

Thank you so much for your honesty!

None of us is perfect... but we are doing the best we can, aren't we? One of my daughters' Mother's Day card said "thank you for being so patient" and I was shocked that she would say that. I am NOT a patient person, and I am NOT a patient mom.

So I am going to join you and say: thank you, kids, for being so accepting and loving and forgiving.

Happy Mother's Day!

deedee said...

None of us are perfect, and looking at our own lists can help us appreciate our own moms even more.

Heart of Rachel said...

Happy Mother's Day!

I admire your honesty. I think nobody's perfect. I'm sure you do your very best which makes you well loved by your kids.

Anonymous said...

Whew...you mean I'm not the only one?

Some days the mere fact that I remembered all three kids is enough for me. So what if I forgot the lunches, breast milk, pump, extra clothes, diaper bag, permission slip, etc.???