Sometimes motherhood gets a bad rap. I mean, we are the ones that have to make our kids eat their veggies, do their chores and go to bed. We have to learn to say “No,” and “No,” and then some more “No.”
And we know that’s a good thing, that kids need their veggies and they need their sleep. But sometimes you can see it in their little wimpery faces:
“You’re the meanest Mom, ever!”
And you know what? I’m okay with that. Really. I have a force field that shields me from Mean Mom comments. I am impervious.
“Dear Child, you may think I really don’t care. Okay, well, I really DON’T care if you don’t want a shower or you don’t think you need to sleep. But I DO care about whether or not your body gets what it needs and whether or not your heart learns to be obedient and thankful and whether or not you feel taken care of. Because I care. I CARE. But it’s bed time, and that’s that.”
So have at it, darling little child of mine, whom I love enough to feed broccoli and brush out tangles and clip fingernails and send back to bed repeatedly (with a pop on the rear if your behind forgets where it is supposed to be)– go ahead and think I’m just being mean. But it’s not true. Because I love you.
A whole heckuva stinkin’ lot.
Love,
“The Meanest Mom – EVER.”
P.S. – One day you’ll have your own kids who think YOU are the meanest mom EVER — and it will all make sense. Pinky promise.
Photo Credit: From Flickr via CC 2.0
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Oh my goodness… I’m gonna blame it on the hormones but that made me tear up… You have the words to say how I feel so many times 🙂 SO GLAD for good friends with heartfelt messages 🙂
I’ve gotten the “meanest mom” comment twice. The first time, it was “You’re the meanest mom in Mansfield!” (We were living in Mansfield at the time.) The second was, “You’re the meanest mom in HISTORY!”
My response was quite similar to yours. Actually, I had to do everything I could to not laugh in front of my son. Once he was out of sight, I broke down laughing. But my mind (and heart) were where yours are. I even blogged about it, too! =)
Keep up the good work, Amber. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart!
*smile* I loved you and your brother too through those “meanest mom” times. I too wore that title with pride. And I am so proud of you to have grown up to be one of an elite group: the Meanest Moms.
from Your Mommie, the former Meanest Mom in GR
About 2.3 seconds after I finished reading this, I had one of these same moments with the 3yo! Yes, I’m mean. Yes, I forcing you to go lay in your nice, comfy, warm, safe bed. Yes, I want you to be bored while you lay there – because it’s obvious to me (and anyone else who has seen you in the last 2 hours) that you are REALLY REALLY TIRED.
So I sent her back to bed with a swat and a smooch. It’s just the way of motherhood!
I hear ya! I’m a mean Mom too– maybe even the MEANEST. Okay, maybe I’m second after you. 🙂 I ‘lost’ your blog… you weren’t in my feed reader any more… till I discovered you moved it! Glad to see you again!