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Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2010 > June > 05 > Entry
Confessions of a mean mom
Two youngest kids and I had spent an hour and a half plying the aisles of Dollar Tree that afternoon, searching for items for my sixth-grader’s latest school project. It was a “living history” museum in which she portrayed Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow. I know, right? How esoteric can you get!
Our cart was filled with craft foam, colorful pipe cleaners and poster board. The 4-year-old added his share of loot too, spending $5 of his birthday money on the trinkets of his choosing. (Apparently, one can never have too many foam pirate swords.)
Plus, because it was the Dollar Tree, we added a whole lot of crap that we really didn’t need but looked like fun — a grass skirt for an upcoming luau party; smoke bombs and snaps for July Fourth; watermelon-scented bubble bath: You name it, it went into our basket.
At the end of every Dollar Tree shopping marathon, I always treat the kids to a package of candy. And since teenage son wasn’t there, I picked out something for him. Bleary-eyed from the spending frenzy, I tossed a box of what I thought were Whoppers into the cart and headed for the checkout lane.
So we get home and the kids tear into the bags looking for their candy. Little one pulls out the Whoppers and starts crunching away. I say no, those are brother’s, then snatch them from his grasp and hand them to big bro.
Unmitigated bawling ensues.
I wail (like a banshee): “All the stuff you got, and you’re eating his candy! Go to your room and don’t come out till you can stop being so selfish!”
Little did I know, I had not picked Whoppers for the teen — I had gotten him Junior Mints, which were later found at the bottom of a bag.
The 4-year-old had been right all along. I had literally taken candy from a baby.
I felt guilty all night!
I called him later that evening from work and apologized, asking, “Can you ever forgive me?”
He sweetly said, “I already did.”
Another lesson learned: Never, ever take an OTC sleeping pill and expect to awake fresh as a daisy and able to care for your child!
Because of my crazy late-night work schedule — compounded by insomnia — I have been trying to function on about 4 hours of sleep a night. And that’s not cutting it.
When I get home at 3 a.m., I’m not able to plop into bed so I’m usually up wondering through the house till 4:30 or so. Not good for me or my patience level the next day.
So my Big Idea a few nights ago was to purchase a drugstore-brand sleep aid, take a pill right when I got home, climb into bed and fall blissfully into forced slumber.
Uh, except I didn’t wake up when my 4-year-old son did, as I usually do. In fact, I was so zonked out that I slept till 11!
I awoke with a start to silence, which is never a good thing when you’re dealing with kids.
I bolted into the living room to find the type of disaster you might except after a flood or hurricane. Toys, food, clothes littering every surface.
In the middle of the mess sat my boy, with stage makeup smeared all over his face. And his pajamas. And the floor. And the ottoman. He had found our Halloween makeup kit in the closet and went to town.
It was so hard to scold him (because clearly, I shared in the blame) but I did anyway.
True confessions of an imperfect mom.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Mommy confessions
Comments
By kristen
June 6, 2010 12:41 AM | Link to this
I have a story about my oldest when he was 3 (he is 7 now) we were potty training as Iam doing my dishes he comes to me and tells me he went poop I said in the potty or your pull up? he said no in your bath tub as we are heading to the bathroom because Iam in disbelief I say if you did your going to your room for timeout he puts his hands up and says fine Iam going right now I tell my husband who thought this was funny and did’nt see why I out him in time out had he had to clean the tub he would have too
By MarisaB
June 5, 2010 11:43 AM | Link to this
I’ve tried the sleeping-pill route too… they are not kidding when they say “make sure you have at least 8 hours to sleep before taking pill.” My husband and I now call them knock-out drops and they are a last resort when one of us absolutely cannot sleep, or if a work schedule change demands a sleep schedule change. And you wake up so groggy, too!
By Max
June 5, 2010 10:58 AM | Link to this
As a single parent of 7 with two teens still at home I can offer this piece of advice to current or aspiring parents. 1.) school projects are more for parents than kids, 2.) most projects and problems can be resolved without opening the wallet at Dollar Tree or Macy’s, 3.) NEVER take kids shopping with you unless buying shoes or clothes for them, 4.)NEVER make candy purchases for kids while they are with you; rewards and punishments should be done in the home as much as possible, 5.) the ‘job’ is for support of the family, not the other way around since parenting is the FIRST job, 6.) OTC meds and alcohol are not wise options when only one parent is in the home (if you shouldn’t drive a car you shouldn’t be minding kids), 7.)Everything from electrical outlets to drain cleaners can be accessed by kids if parental precautions are not taken (assume you’re out of the room and look at what potential home threats are available to kids),8.) periodically purge toys smaller than a bananna which can be ingested or inserted into ears or other bodily openings, 9.) Never slaeep with your children, and, 10.) never take the advice of other parents because they are as stressed, weary, and overworked as you.