…that creates elaborate birthday parties
…that can do more than two basic hairstyles
…that allows sleepovers outside of immediate family
…that has much patience with simple directions
…who is more focused on grades than kindness
…that believes in yelling or spanking
But I am that mom who –
…wakes up worrying
…over plans a weekend then accomplishes one thing
…enjoys watching my baby sleep beside me because I have no boundaries
…insists on the application of sunscreen
…prefers clothes to match
…can be overcome with laughter and forget to be mad
…asks for kisses and hugs
A polarizing topic, at best, is the way I was raised and the relationship, or lack thereof, I have with my own mother. As a parent, I know she was probably doing the best she could. But it has impacted our ability to relate and connect. As much as I love mini, I don’t believe we were ever designed to be best friends, as some parents refer to their children. I think the idea of being friends with your children is dangerous and potentially damaging due to expectations that will never be met. I’m her mom and that’s a big enough task, in my opinion. Friendships should be what she cultivates on her own, according to her own terms, and in different seasons in life. I want her to always be able to come to me with anything, yet not as a friend but as a woman who gives advice, hugs, and proper discipline.
The mom life is tough. I’m certainly not discounting dad life, grandparent life, parenting in general. Mini is never far from my mind – it’s hard raising a decent human being while attempting to set a good example because that attempt is often thwarted.
Especially when it comes to sleeping in her own bed.
________________
I ask you –
Are you a gentle parent or a structured one?
What type of childhood did you have?
Take a guess: what are the odds she’ll sleep in her own bed now that she’s seven? 1 in 7.
(The post I’m Not That Mom first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
© 2023 Running on Fumes
Running on Fumes 