honestbaby » Bad Mommy

Back To School Crap

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:39:36 +0000

The lazy days of summer are gone and the Back To School industry has arrived with all of the crap that goes with it. You can’t just send your child on the first day of school anymore with the clothes on their back. It seems like days of preparation are needed. First you’ve got to get all your school supplies. I don’t know about your school but we had about 20 items that were needed for my 7 year old! Did he really need 10 glue sticks for the first day of school? 8 “strong plastic” folders? Eraser board markers? A clip board? And then there’s the enticement of a new backpack, new lunchbox, new thermos, etc. Because how can you put all these brand spanking new supplies into last year’s backpack! (Don’t tell anyone but we did.)

Now you’ve lugged all this stuff home and you’ve got to label it. There is a huge industry out there of cutesy labels for purchase to make your life supposedly easier. Is it that much easier to order stickers online, wait for them to arrive, and then adhere them to all of the stuff you just bought? Can’t you let your kid practice writing their name a few times in permanent marker? That’s what we do!

They say that Back to School spending has declined because of the economy, but you wouldn’t know it from all of the ads, articles and other “helpful” school preparation lists that are thrown our way.

Then there’s the forms. You’re supposed to show up with various permission slips that you accessed from the school website and if you don’t they’ll be sent home in your kids backpack with instructions to return immediately (I get this “reminder” every year). Parent volunteer forms, athletic team forms, allergy forms, medication forms, field trip permission forms… Each school is different but you’d be hard pressed to find a school that doesn’t have any. Sure, I get that these things are necessary, but ever hear the term overkill? My son’s school requires a bicycle permission form? If I send my kid to school riding his bike, he obviously has permission from me.

And the clothes of course. Even though it’s in the eighties this week on the East Coast, you will still find all sorts of fall and winter fashions at the mall. They make you feel that if you don’t grab your child’s wardrobe by September, you will be left out in the cold. Literally.

Once you’ve got your child all dressed and propped up with all the proper gear they can head off for classes. That’s when they want you. Be a class parent, come be a lunch aid, sign up as a library volunteer, every school has their own demands which most parents are happy to oblige. If they have the time! If you’re a working mother, forget it, the guilt is endless and if you don’t work, you’re expected to kick it up a notch. My mother claims that when I was young, the demands on parents were a lot less and I believe her.

Back to School is a fun time for kids and parents, but more and more I’m nostalgic of the simpler times – when pencils, paper and a brown bag were enough.

Unrealistic Breast Sucking on WEEDS

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:48:37 +0000

Last night on Showtime’s WEEDS, the main character (Nancy) finds herself in a bind when her breast pump breaks in the bathroom of a restaurant. ?She enlists the help of her brother-in-law (Andy) to suck out some milk and relieve the pressure. ?(The episode is aptly named, Suck and Spit) First of all, let me start by saying that I breast fed two babies for over a year, suffered engorgement many times and ?NEVER considered asking my husband to suck my breasts! ?I especially wouldn’t ask someone I wasn’t romantically involved with. ?And believe me, I’m not a prude. I don’t know anyone else who would stoop to that level. ?Yes I know it’s just a television show. ?It just sounds to me like something a bunch of pent up male writers thought of. ?Part of some kind of breast feeding fetish. ?Although it seems that most of the writers of Weeds are men (like all TV), the creator, Jenji Kohan, is a woman and if she is aware of how breast feeding works, might have put the kabash on this plot line. ?Make no mistake, my husband loved it and couldn’t understand why I was outraged.

Anyone who has breast fed knows that there were many other options for her besides the contrived situation they came up with. How about manually expressing some milk out, or putting a hot towel on them…or go home!! ?Or drink more! ?If she was as drunk as she was acting, she actually shouldn’t have felt any pain. ??

I am well aware that WEEDS is not known for it’s realistic plots, but don’t mess with moms and their?breast feeding. ?

Having said all this, I did laugh out loud when Andy swallowed the breastmilk he had sucked out and Nancy says, “You SWALLOWED!” ?And Andy says,?”Yeah, well, I don’t want to be a hypocrite…” ?Still a great show.

To see the show go to:?http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1922800

Take The Power Away From The Sugar

carol — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:48:23 +0000

This article about a mother on a junk food crusade got me riled again about the situation at my son’s school. ?They have such a strict food policy that you can’t bring store bought cupcakes for a birthday party – you have to bake it yourself with various replacements like little sugar, apple sauce and fake butter. ?The Halloween party is candy-less (sad) and the end of the year party features apples slices instead of ice cream (depressing). I’m the first person to support a crusade against child obesity but things are getting out of control. ?Everything should be in moderation. ?Withholding desert as a punishment only messes with kids relationships with food. ?And forbidding something completely makes a child only want it more. ?I grew up in a house that had pita bread and grape nuts. ?I would go to friends houses and scarf twinkies. ?I give my kids lots of healthy food and throw in some sugar every now and then. ?And ya’ know what, sometimes they turn me down. ?Our school removing the cake and cookies from celebrations only serves to empower the sugar. ?I took the power away from the sugar in our home and so should the lady in this article. ?She obviously has let it consume her life!

Wild Child

Bad Mommy — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:56:33 +0000

I have been having major problems with my 3 year old at pre-school. It seems that he is too “busy” and doesn’t “listen to instruction” and “won’t sit in circle” for long periods of time. The teacher he has is very strict. She has the room divided up into centers and there can only be 2 children at a center at a time. For some reason my son doesn’t get that rule. I don’t blame him, I don’t understand it either. I mean, how do you tell a little kid that he can’t play with the trains with his two friends. He’s not agressive, he’s not angry, he just does what he wants to do when he wants to do it. They tell me he’s “impulsive”. WHAT DO THEY EXPECT FROM HIM! HE’S ONLY 3 YEARS OLD!!! There are many theories about how schools are designed for girls. Teaching is geared towards quiet, mellow children who can sit still and listen for long periods of time. Teachers are mostly women. Active behavior (usually found in boys) is discouraged and looked down on. My son is only 3 and he’s already been labeled.

The Pickiest Eater

BadMommy — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:07:21 +0000

My son is 3 years old and loves to drive me crazy by NOT EATING. Well not eating healthy that is. He will eat chicken nuggets, french fries and pizza. But I’m happy to get something in his stomach, as long as a few food groups are represented. Anyway, I was out to lunch with some friends and our kids yesterday. One of the moms gave her daughter sushi! (not raw fish) And the other kid was eating cut up steak. Meanwhile my son must have eaten three french fries. So I made a joke about my son being such a picky eater. One mom (who I don’t know very well) says to me, “Kids will eat what you give them so you shouldn’t offer bad choices.” Wow, this woman obviously should not be wasting her time eating lunch with people like me, she should be traveling the world spreading her parenting wisdom. I tried to poke fun at her. I said, “I guess I don’t think that french fries are that bad… potatoes are vegetables you know.” I laughed at my own joke but said mom didn’t even crack a smile. She looked at me like I was failing miserably at nourishing my child. Meanwhile her kid was the one eating steak so I said, “You know that steak clogs your arteries…”

Nanny Hate Mail

BadMommy — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:39:21 +0000

I wanted to share this with you because I can’t believe the response I’ve been getting. I put an ad on a local message board to find some part-time help. I requested someone who could watch my two children and also do some housework during their down time – naps, school, etc. I offered $10 an hour – for 4 days – which is what I pay my sitter right now. (she’d stay but she’s having a baby). I was shocked by the response! Here is a sampling of the hate mail I’ve been getting:#1

OK SO WHEN WAS SLAVERY ABOLISHED AGAIN. YOU MUST BE LOOKING FOR A ROBOT. AMACHINE THAT YOU CAN JUST PROGRAM TO DO ALL YOUR CHORES. DID YOU ACTUALLYREAD YOUR POST BEFORE YOU SUBMITTED IT? YOU WANT A HOUSEKEEPER, MAID,JANITOR, LAUNDERESS AND A NANNY? ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR FOUR DIFFERENT POSITIONS? UHM….I DON’T THINK SO. REMEMBER BY THE TIME THE “NANNY” GETS DONE DOING ALL OF YOUR HOUSEWORK SHE HAS NO MORE ENERGY TO DEDICATE TO YOURTWO YOUNG CHILDREN WHO CONSTANTLY NEED SUPERVISION. IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT? SUGGESTION…..HIRE A HOUSEKEEPER AND LEAVE THE NANNY TO DO THE JOBSHE IS HIRED TO DO…THAT IS WATCH THE CHILDREN

#2
I just read the ad and all the comments and I am appalled. I am a mother and
was a former nanny…and that is embarrassing. The family is asking for 4
days…what the hell is she doing the other 3 days??? Obviously she most not
like being a real mother…and housewife. I work professionally and have 3
children…and still find time to take care of the house, spend time with my
family and have a part-time sitter. This family is looking for a
maid…….hell..even SUPER NANNY would laugh at this post. The family
should be embarrassed…she is not prepared to be a mother or wife….if she
has everyone doing her things. If they do have money….its NO EXCUSE FOR
THE LOW SALARY…….it should be in the $18-25 per hour range…plus gas
and tolls. And if they are in the mid-income level…they need to cut back
on the housecleaning and focus on the children. If they are in the lower
bracket…she need to act like a mother and wife…and not hire a
sitter…and take of her OWN CHILDREN herself….

I hate to say this…but if she finds a sitter, legal or not…I feel for
them….I can see this family going through sitters like babies changing
diapers….no pun intended…just honest to goodness truth.

#3
I’m agree too!!!, please $320.00 for all the work!!,…at lease pay more!!
if you need ALL THAT!!,…scours have to be people that can do it!,…but
YOU!!, have to be fear!!,…you need a nanny + housekeeper = $700 (at lease)

…don’t abuse!!,..Nanny’s are not slave!!

maybe a immigrant can work for you! = no english ,no car ,no documentation,
no education, etc., or a crazy nanny,.. maybe drogadictives

good lock!..with $320.00 …you will need it!!….ji ji ji!!

This is just a sampling of the comments – I can’t believe people feel the need to lash out at a help wanted ad and judge me as a mother…they obviously haven’t met my kids

Pajama Day

BadMommy — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:44:18 +0000

I win the bad mommy award for this week. It was 6:30 AM and to be fair I was half asleep when my 4 year old son told me that he wanted to wear his pajamas to school. I told him to put his clothes on. Then he said that all the kids are wearing pajamas to school and I said, “ha, ha, very funny, get your clothes on.” Needless to say, he went to school with his normal clothes on. We have a driving drop off at our school so I didn’t see anyone in his class when I brought him. But when I picked him up I saw his teacher come out in a full nightgown and slippers. Then a friend of his emerged in spiderman sleepies. Uh oh. Then he came out and happily jumped into the car. I told his teacher I didn’t know it was pajama day and she pointed out that it was on the calendar. Who checks the calendar every day? Apparently every other mom in the class. I asked her why they didn’t call me when he showed up without pajamas. I would’ve come back with them. She told me that he announced he didn’t want to wear his pajamas. So basically my son covered for me. How sad is that! Yup, bad mommy award.

Enjoying A Sick Day

Bad Mommy — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:38:11 +0000

Is it wrong to enjoy a sick day? My son had the stomach flu and so I kept him home from school (first grade). He was throwing up all day so it wasn’t a hard decision to make. The next day it was a little more tricky…he was fine. He woke up in a good mood, wolfed down his breakfast and asked if he had to go to school. It was 7:30 AM, I had a lot of work to do that day and thought about all of his commitments. I would have to pack him lunch, snack, make sure he did his homework, rush out of the house to get him to school, pick him up from school early (it was a half day), take home him and his friend, give them snacks then take them to Tae Kwon Do, drive his friend home, make dinner, and the list continues. If he stayed home sick I would not have to do any of the above. I would just let him veg in front of the television all day (getting his strength back) while I was a productive mother without the usual distractions. I wouldn’t even have to make dinner (”I couldn’t drag him to the grocery store, he was too sick!”) and could order in my favorite Chinese food. It was a no brainer. He got to stay home and watch a Super Friends marathon and I finally got the time to pack away my winter clothes. Did I feel a little guilty? Nah…

The Wrong Playdate

Bad Mommy — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:20:41 +0000

I received a call from a parent in my son’s first grade class asking for a playdate. I said sure. I asked my son if he wanted to play with the little boy and he was excited. All was good until we got there. The little boy opened the door and looked at my son. They both didn’t look happy. Then the boy yelled out to his mother in distress, “I didn’t mean BIG Jason, I meant LITTLE Jason!!” My son, the unwanted Jason, looked at me and said, “I don’t know this boy. Please don’t leave me here!” and he started to cry. The mother finally emerged and we realized that the boys were in fact not in the same class. There are three different kindergarten classes. She had mistakenly called our home instead of the more desirable LITTLE Jasons’s house. Apparently Jason is a common name in our town. I of course never checked to see if the kid was in my son’s class but I assumed she had done her playdate legwork! In any event, we both laughed it off and I took my rejected yet relieved child home.

Snow Day Mix Up

Bad Mommy — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:31:48 +0000

Last week I didn’t get the phone call that school was cancelled. Or maybe I just slept through it. Not sure. Either way, I didn’t know! There wasn’t that much snow so I thought nothing of it. I packed the kids in the car and drove to school. When I got to the school, it seemed eerily quiet. I waited…and waited… and waited. Thought I must have gotten their earlier and then checked the clock. Nope. School should have started! I called a friend to confirm. It was a Snow Day! I drove the kids back home and we all put our pajamas on and pretended it never happened!