How true!

D and I have an on going joke that we are C+ parents. Whenever, one of the kids is dirty, outside without a hat, up really late or numerous other faux pas that would earn us the evil eye from the above it all parent, we look at each other shrug and say yeah C+ parenting thats us. I mean we do, or let our kids do, a number of things that the "best" parents would never dream of doing or letting their kids do. Ice cream for dinner, skip a bath night, have a Wonder Pets marathon when you are just too tired to do anything but for the *gasp* second or even third time in a week. I have picked up a dropped paci and stuck it right back in, used a cart withOUT a cart cover, let the baby sit in a poopy diaper for more than 5 minutes and gave in to the toddler screaming for chocolate just so I could get a shower. Our kids do not have the latest fancy gadgets or best toys. Clothes are hand me downs and thrift store finds, and yes my three year old dresses herself in whatever clothing she chooses. It may not be the best choice for the daily activity (hello new Fairy wings!) but eh whats letting her decide going to hurt anyways?

I joke about this but I often feel like a failure. Like I am not doing enough, teaching enough, or interacting enough. How many books did I read today? Did it make the recommendation? Whens the last time we did a craft? How healthy was lunch? Crap did I just let her drink tonic water and now her bones will develop holes in them? Oh my gosh is she behind in her letter recognition? She doesn't know her age every time I ask? He's not sitting, or rolling? OH.MY.GOODNESS! All these other moms have it so so so together and I just flounder through....

But you see, here is the deal. I read this blog today, and it made me cry and it made me see. This whole social media gamut of things I love doing, Facebook, blogging, Pinterest all of these things AND the local mom's groups make me feel this way. I am CONSTANTLY comparing myself to all of these "better" moms. Ones who have a craft that fits in with their theme of the day, whose lunches are always healthy, organic and served looking like a scene out of a fairy tale, the ones who bring their kids to the park at least once a week. But really, REALLY!, I need to stop doing this. Because at the end of the day given the choice of going to bed with food in their hair, with the mismatched have seen better days blankets still in a half fort on the living room floor since the floors were not vacuumed today, I am certain that my kids will choose ME.

My kids do not care if I get a gold star or A+ at being a Mommy. All they care about is the love that I show them. If I can express half of what I feel for these kiddos then I am doing an outstanding job. I love my kids and as long as they know that well then, thats enough. The floors aren't always cleaned, the toilets aren't always scrubbed. I may not have showered or washed my hair, I may in fact still be wearing yesterdays yoga pants. Craft time my not come this week, neither may the park but you know what? It is OK, my kids have love and well love is all that matters. LOVE is what makes a mommy not how many neat ideas she has. Will I still use Pinterest and pin things that I may one day do with my kids? Heck ya, but I am not going to beat myself up if I never end up doing it, or well I am going to work really hard on not beating myself up anyways :0)