I read a lot of blogs out there and learn something
from them all. Maybe it’s a new clean recipe or that I can spray paint just
about anything, or that everyone loves their kids a ton and that most mom
writers think their house is the wackiest of all. I read of the challenges and
the expectations and the mistakes and the successes moms make. And then I gain
that we are all out here trying to do the best we can, through it all, big and
small - skinned knees, tears over not making a team, birthday excitement, mean
friends, laughter over a pet’s antics, illness, pride and love… Whether we work
in a fabulous office using the degree we hard earned or we work our asses off
at home and never make a penny, we are all trying our best and figuring it out
as we go. My daily mantra is wherever you are whatever you do, be happy with
it.
Sometimes the mommy blogs bug me (can I be honest here).
Sure, we’re all trying to do our best, but some of those bloggers make their
imperfections seem so….cutesy? And let me tell you, I don’t like cutesy. Now,
since we are just getting to know each other, please know I’m very positive. I
practice yoga regularly, believe in the total benefits wholeheartedly and
strive to keep my glass half full. I make an effort to see the best in people
and try to help my family to do the same. But I don’t like cutesy. I’m done
with preschool – my kids are 12 and 14. It’s not cute and sweet that my house
is often messy – I can call it creative, but that’s just bullshit, I just need
to get off the computer and clean it up. Oh wait, I’m digressing a bit too much,
and sounding more snarky than positive, so….back to mommy blogs and my
positivity. I also get a little bugged when I read blogs that are…can I say
pretentious? Sure, I can make a conversational reference to NPR and hope
someone gets it, or discuss the character flaws of Jay Gatsby, but I also
really like The Walking Dead and a good zombie killing, and I’m listening to
the Glee station on Pandora right now, not the symphony station (because then
my narcolepsy may kick in).
Often I admire the women who write the blogs with their
optimistic, mindful grateful and realistic POVs and they inspire me to blog,
too. I see similarities to my family and myself and want to call these writers
and chat while I unload the dishwasher. When women can share their lives with
others, it enriches us all. I remember my mother’s generation didn’t talk about
things like their daughter’s period or OCD or pubic hair. But those things (and
all the other things life throws our way) are reality and it helps to talk it
out (believe it or not, this isn’t a digression). My goal for this blog is not
to sound better than anyone or make anyone feel less inferior like I know it
all and do it all oh, so lovely. My goal is to share what I know, which is only
what I’ve learned from my own experience and hopefully learn from my readers in
return, because I know hashing things out with my friends is one of the most
helpful parts of parenting. We all do things differently, whether we sit with
our kids when they do homework or we do it for them or we don’t even know they
have homework, but our insights can be helpful. I have 2 girls and have no idea
how teenage boys think, but my girls sure want to know so that’s where my
friend with 2 boys can help. As moms, we can offer insight; we can offer
support and encouragement, even though our methods may be different. We should
leave the judging out, because unless we have walked in someone else’s shoes
(or got fed up with over zealous cutesy-ness and condescending pretension), we
never know what anyone else is really experiencing.
For the past 3 years, my friend Rachael and I have talked
about writing about our mom experiences, because it’s way better than fiction
and keeps us laughing till we almost pee, and on our toes – keeps us on our
toes, I mean – not peeing on them. My plan is to rope her in to join me on this
adventure, and I hope many of you stick around, too.
So here we go, a kind of chronicling, sharing, laughing,
unbelieving and forever hopeful blog to begin – remember I like reality, but
it’s still all just a big ol’ adventure, right? Let’s go!
