I’m that mom. That one phrase just sent a million mom stereotypes through your mind. I’m the juicebox mom, the tv time mom, the that-cracker-has-been-on-the-ground-since-breakfast-but-go-ahead-eat-it mom, but I am also a mom who loves her some with my whole heart. For my first child I have been told that my parenting is a bit relaxed but that’s how I was raised. I grew up drinking juice while glued to Scooby Doo, and probably sticking things in my mouth that I should’ve kept out but honey, a little dirt never hurt anyone.
I’m the mom who is more than happy to sit her child in front of the TV if I need to get some work done. I work from home and my husband works a full 40+ hours a week and is now going back to school so if the only way I can get stuff done is to the sound of a child slurping juice while humming along to the Trolls soundtrack then that is what has to be done.
I’m the mom who spends 24/7 with someone who quite frankly makes me want to rip my hair out half the time. My son has begun to develop his little sass filled personality. Although he is a great kid when he gets tired or hungry he lets you know. He knows what no means but he will fight you with every ounce of his being.
I’m the mom whose house is always a mess. You know that phrase, “Pardon the mess, but my children are making memories”? Well that may be true but after spending the day fighting with my toddler over not letting him eat the dog food or play in the water bowl, I am just too tired to pick up every toy that he will drag out the next day. By the time he is in bed I have a need to stuff my face with ice-cream and watch netflix til my husband gets home.
I am also the mom who has day to day dance parties with my son. Drumming, singing, and dancing are some of his favorite things and at this age one of my biggest goals is to let him be little and let him enjoy life. This age is such a sweet age because they do what they want without a care in the world. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, it doesn’t matter how crazy my son may look.. he simply doesn’t care. He is the most confident he has ever been and if a daily dance party helps him keep that confidence as he grows older than we will dance til we can’t dance anymore, we will sing til our lungs go out, and we will drum until we run out of things to drum on.
“This age is such a sweet age because they do what they want without a care in the world!”
It is insane the amount of criticism that moms get from other parents. You post one wrong thing to social media and it’s like the world is out to tell you how wrong your parenting choices are.
“Well I don’t let my kids do that.” I get it you don’t parent the way I do and that’s ok, but just because you don’t do it doesn’t mean I can’t or shouldn’t. When I hear that one phrase it makes me ashamed to parent the way that I do, it makes me doubt how I am doing as a mom, and comparison begins to show it’s ugly face. But you know what? I am that mom who doesn’t parent like you. I am proud to be the mom I am. If my parenting style turns heads because I let my child be a juice monster then so be it. My son is healthy, he is happy.. most of the time, and he loves me and that should be all that matters. So next time you think, Oh, She’s THAT mom, or, Oh, She let’s her kids do THAT?!.. keep it to yourself because 9/10 she is proud in the way she is raising her child and whatever you have to say stemmed from that thought will probably hurt her more than it will lift her up.
As Always Keep Smiling,
Jennifer Brock
