The perfect…mom – forget about it, she doesn’t exist. We think about it though, don’t we? We think about all of the things moms actually are this week. We buy cards and read sappy sentiments that we may or may not be able to compose on our own. We buy gifts and we think about the things that have passed between you and your mom; or how we thought we would be as parents…and how we are today.

Whether you are right in the middle of parenting, aspire to be one some day…or have since let your children realize that it isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be… remember this:

• We do not look forward to diaper changes.
• We don’t like to scrape food off of their face (at age 2 or 10…)
• We do not love to clean up after our children, even if we do it grudgingly when family or friends are coming over (or maybe even just the handyman to fix that broken fan.)
• We don’t like to make food that one person at the table will invariably not like to eat it. (To be honest, we don’t like it any better if they do it but have to hold their nose to eat their veggies.)
• We do not like to be spit up on, peed on, or have stuff stuck to us (no longer interested in that lollipop? What makes you think I will want it?) – but I will take baby drool over dog spit any day…even if it isn’t my own kid.
• We don’t like to find out that homework or cupcakes or a signed permission slip and funds for an outing are due today…as you are running out the door to school and work.
• We do not want to find out at 11:35PM on Christmas Eve that the “best gift ever” you think you’re getting wasn’t once mentioned on the list or brought up during conversations about this ever important holiday for the last 6 months.
• We don’t like to be compared to other moms or even dads…let alone grandparents.
• We do not want to be woken up at 2AM, by a crying baby, or a call to come pick you up from a sleepover you insisted you were able to last through, and certainly not from a party where things are getting out of hand and you want to come home…

BUT we do it – we do all of this and we may not complain about it, or maybe we do…BUT…

We do it, not because we are perfect, not because we are better than anyone else. We do it because we love our children.

The perfect child of course, doesn’t exits either – so don’t try to take credit for that – nor do we want to give you up for another child who “appears” to be better.  To all the moms out there…Just be who you are and enjoy the time you have. Strive for being better, but don’t try to be perfect. No one expects you to be.

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl