I'm a horrible, no good very bad mother...

In response to my friend Cristina from Tailor Made Mama's post about being a Mom, and the dozens of others that are floating around in support of Jen from Life with Levi and her post about circumcision, I figured I'd weigh in on just how bad a mom I am...

I don't have a schedule for my kids beyond what the school board imposes

I let my kids eat what they like for supper, if they don't like what I'm serving

I put playing with and cuddling my kids above cleaning my house... so it usually looks like a bomb has hit it

I keep foods like frozen pizzas, chicken nuggets and mini-burgers on hand for quick snacks

I bought my son's birthday cupcakes at the grocery store, rather than baking from scratch

I let my kids sleep in bed with me

I use disposable diapers (and worse, my 6 year old with Autism is still not potty trained, but he is dry through the night...)

I let my kids watch TV, play iPad and Wii games and experience technology, although we don't have cable or satellite so my kids can't watch commercials or keep up with the latest trends.

I get my children vaccinated based on the schedule that my pedi recommends

I buy organic and natural when it's in the budget and don't when it's not

We don't always eat at the dining table, sometimes we eat in front of the TV, or on the lawn or in the car...

I let my teenager have a Facebook page and a personal email account when she was younger than the age limits imposed by internet safety gurus.

I let my husband get up with the school age kids and get them to their buses on time while I sleep in... although I also stay up late with the insomniac two year old and I often function on 4 hours of sleep or less.

I don't meal plan... we eat what I feel like making that day or one day in advance...

I hate to put away laundry and don't even know where my iron is... so there are baskets full of clean laundry in all the bedrooms and I don't buy anything that needs ironing

I let my kids eat cookies, goldfish crackers, french fries and treats.  I even put a 'fun size' package of M&M's in my son's lunch every day so his teachers can use them as a bribe if necessary or a reward when he's had a good day.

I blog about their lives and share their foibles and mine, as well as their successes - both here and usually on Facebook too...


I give money to their schools rather than buy $12 wrapping paper and $3 chocolate bars that we don't need.

I drink soda pop and will share sips with the kids.

I didn't even notice that Erik's feet grew 2 whole sizes in 5 months til there was no way I was getting his foot into his running shoes the other day.

I hug and kiss my kids, even when they don't want me to...

I'm sarcastic and teach my kids to understand and appreciate a sarcastic remark or action...

I take my boys for haircuts and hold them down while they scream... I do the same for needles and other things they don't want to do.

I give the boys time out in their room... and occasionally take time out in mine.

****
My kids aren't always good, aren't always happy and aren't always right... but they are learning to be who they are and that's what makes me a good mom... and no one can tell me that I'm any better or worse for it than another mom down the street... I honestly think that we spend way too much time tearing ourselves and other parents down for things they do or don't do... some of my best friends are crunchy, cloth diapering, baby wearing, breast feeding moms and I respect what they do and that it works for them... everything I do is by trial and error, the same way my own mom had three successful kids who survived having her as a parent... what doesn't kill us makes us stronger... and I hope all my kids are strong and independent when they are ready to escape the loony bin we call home...