We’ve all done it—in the grocery aisle, at the park, in our cars, at our kids’ schools… It’s called mommieotyping—the observation, judgment and categorization of mothers. You can refute it all you want, but you can’t hide those criticizing eyes in the checkout line at Walmart. Don’t worry, no one’s judging you for it. Oh, […]
Whatever, Mom
Posted inCulture
Whatever, Mom
Mommy’s little secret
For decades, child psychologists have been analyzing the effects of parental separation—or more specifically, maternal deprivation. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll sum it up for you: Children need their mommies. And why wouldn’t they? Sure, there’s the whole nine-months-of-bonding-in-the-womb factor, but it goes far beyond that… We feed and nurture […]
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Whatever, Mom
Finding the niche
If you’re a mother, you’ve likely referred to the infancy stage as “the era of eat-shit-sleep.” But if you’re a breastfeeding mother, it’s very possible that the primary word was just eat. I understand. It’s quite shocking how much those tiny creatures can consume—not to mention how proficient they are when it comes to demanding […]
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Whatever, Mom
Mom to Mom II
Yes, interviewing your own mother takes at least two parts (not to mention a whole lot of gratitude for her willingness to participate). So here’s mine… And thanks, Mom. I (literally) don’t know where I’d be without you. Which was (or has been) more challenging—the earlier years or post-teens? “Definitely post-teens. It’s harder to listen […]
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Whatever, Mom
Mom to Mom
There’s one woman in my life that tops all the rest. One calm, wise woman that knows a thing or two about patience. One woman that embodies the qualities of an incredible mother in ways I can only hope to mimic for my sweet Cade. And I owe this woman all the credit in the […]
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Whatever, Mom
Another “broken family”
Some might say I come from one. And I suppose that by pure definition, they’d be right. My parents did split when I was 15, my immediate family no longer functioned as a whole, and I was definitely a bit grief-stricken. It’s a fitting description, but I still wouldn’t fully agree… For the longest time […]
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Whatever, Mom
Not Quite Mother Teresa
There’s no such thing as a perfect mother. And as one of the flawed, I know how uncomfortable it can be to own up to those “Oh my god, she did/said what?” childrearing bloopers. Which is why I’d like to commend a few brave mamas for recently agreeing to… well, get pretty damn personal with […]
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Whatever, Mom
The F Word
My son and I recently had our first big “fight.” I’m talking about the ugly, make-each-other-cry, immature-high-school-relationship kind of fight—the one that begins (explodes) as soon as you close the car doors after leaving the public setting where you were this close to unleashing your inner psycho in front of everyone. “You don’t even know […]
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Whatever, Mom
Mommy Amnesia
Having a child is like having a major concussion. It’s been 2,125 days since I first learned the news. And while those visions of plus signs and parallel lines from roughly three dozen home pregnancy tests are still vividly embedded in my brain, don’t bother asking me to recall anything prior. Thanks to Cade, my […]
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Whatever, Mom
The Honesty Taboo
I imagine the inside of a child’s brain to look a little something like this: ???????????????????? (and so on and so on). It’s no surprise they want answers from you—all day, every day. But before you go nurturing those curious little minds, remember this: to your children, your word is gold. And when gold loses […]