tough questions for real parents
If I had to put a subtitle on my blog other than "momming your ass off," it would be, "I'm just trying to say out loud what I hope I'm not the only one thinking."
So in that spirit, I've created an anonymous survey for you, readers, friends, family.
My hope is that I can collect more things that we all hope we're not the only ones thinking.
Why?
I guess I think that parenting can be really lonely - not just the being at home part or the watching other people living their lives on Facebook part, but the part inside your head. There's a small voice in my head, I don't mind telling you, that is doing its level best to convince me all day long that:
a) I'm terrible at this and my kids deserve a better mother.
b) I've made some pretty bad life choices to get where I am. I mean, look at those people. They're riding bikes through Tuscany and starting nonprofits. Me, I went to the dry cleaner today. Good thing I went to private school.
c) My life is small and dull and that cannot be changed. You don't even want to know about the last times I used the words "adventure," "dangerous," or "exciting." Seriously. Oh, you do? Ok... you asked for it...
We're going to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer! It'll be a laundry adventure!
CHICKEN! CHICKEN, NO! That cabinet door is dangerous! It could pinch your fingers!
Ooooooh! Is that corn on the cob for dinner? How EXCITING!
d) I don't get to ever express dissatisfaction or frustration with my life because if I do it either means that my kids have a shitty bored mom, or I've just become one voice in the keening chorus of "frustrated housewives on the internet."
e) Nobody is interested in me anyway. Even if I were to express my feelings of dissatisfaction, nobody would care.
One of the reasons I love writing this blog is that I get to tell that voice to fuck off, that everybody struggles, everybody fails, and all parents have complex feelings about parenting.
We all paid a lot of money and gave up a lot of freedom to be here, absently picking dried tomato seeds off the high chair tray while the kid plays on the iPad.
Anyway, I'd love to hear from you.
The survey, like I said, is completely anonymous.
Skip any questions you like.
Consider this your confessional:
 |
| Those aren't harem pants. I just haven't changed his diaper since... uh... I should probably put down the camera and change his diaper. |
So in that spirit, I've created an anonymous survey for you, readers, friends, family.
My hope is that I can collect more things that we all hope we're not the only ones thinking.
Why?
I guess I think that parenting can be really lonely - not just the being at home part or the watching other people living their lives on Facebook part, but the part inside your head. There's a small voice in my head, I don't mind telling you, that is doing its level best to convince me all day long that:
a) I'm terrible at this and my kids deserve a better mother.
b) I've made some pretty bad life choices to get where I am. I mean, look at those people. They're riding bikes through Tuscany and starting nonprofits. Me, I went to the dry cleaner today. Good thing I went to private school.
c) My life is small and dull and that cannot be changed. You don't even want to know about the last times I used the words "adventure," "dangerous," or "exciting." Seriously. Oh, you do? Ok... you asked for it...
We're going to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer! It'll be a laundry adventure!
CHICKEN! CHICKEN, NO! That cabinet door is dangerous! It could pinch your fingers!
Ooooooh! Is that corn on the cob for dinner? How EXCITING!
d) I don't get to ever express dissatisfaction or frustration with my life because if I do it either means that my kids have a shitty bored mom, or I've just become one voice in the keening chorus of "frustrated housewives on the internet."
e) Nobody is interested in me anyway. Even if I were to express my feelings of dissatisfaction, nobody would care.
One of the reasons I love writing this blog is that I get to tell that voice to fuck off, that everybody struggles, everybody fails, and all parents have complex feelings about parenting.
We all paid a lot of money and gave up a lot of freedom to be here, absently picking dried tomato seeds off the high chair tray while the kid plays on the iPad.
Anyway, I'd love to hear from you.
The survey, like I said, is completely anonymous.
Skip any questions you like.
Consider this your confessional: