by Aimee Carson
It’s the first Tuesday in December! Time for “You Might Feel Like a Bad Mommy If…?” As always, guilt is the name of the game, and I get to go first 
.
You might feel like a bad mommy if, during your son’s band concert, you spend the obligatory hour and a half before his turn in the audience listening to twenty performances of Hot Cross Buns… and surfing the internet on your iPAD!
You might feel like a bad mommy if, every year, you let your husband do ALL the Christmas shopping! (Okay, this one is actually a win-win, because I hate shopping and he loves it. Still feel a touch guilty about it, though)
The holidays are full of guilt-inducing moments, so come share your bad mommy guilt…or share a laugh about one of mine! Just click on the number at the top to leave a comment. And as an extra treat, our own Jennifer Probst is guest blogging today at http://www.lifeishardlaughanyway.com/2011/12/bad-santa-by-jennifer-probst/ Stop by and read her hilarious post, Bad Santa!
Mommyhood brings so many opportunities for guilt. Today I am happy and not at all sad that the dang elves stay away from my house. This might be the only advantage of having teenagers!
OY! You’re one of THOSE parents who text/surf during a band concert?!? JK. You do what you have to do.
Bad mommy moment? Too many to choose from. I’ll go with: I yelled up to my son to walk the dog. Three times. My anger growing each time. After no response I stormed up the stairs, pounded on his door (while yelling about helping around the house and showing some respect by responding when I speak to him) and pushed it open.
To find his room empty.
In my haze of working on my manuscript for hours and hours, I’d forgotten I’d given him permission to sleep at a friend’s house.
So I walked the dog. At 2:00 p.m. In my pajamas and bathrobe.
OMG, I laughed so hard at yours, Wendy – too hysterical!! And Amy, don’t feel guilty about the shopping – you probably save money that way and your husband doesn’t mind! These past few days I must say I feel like I’m lacking some sort of vitamin and have been exhausted, so instead of writing or spending quality time with my little one – I keep forcing DVD’s on him, then running into my bed to clock in some rest! Yesterday, he crawled into bed with me with a big sigh and said, “Mommy, why are you sleeping so much…you are no fun!”
Oh, Jen, I’m so sorry you’ve got the sleepies, but isn’t it great that your boy notices because you aren’t your USUAL FUN SELF! That means he thinks you’re normally a great mom and that’s gotta feel good, even if right now you feel bad.
Wendy, too funny – not just yelling at a kid who isn’t there (with your permission), but walking the dog in your jammies at 2pm. I’m often still in my jammies after lunch (writer perk!), but I won’t even answer the door in my jammies, let alone go out in the yard. Your jammies must be way prettier than mine.
Aimee, I demand the secret right now! How do you get your husband to d the shopping? More important, would it, could it, possibly work with mine??!!
Ok, here’s mine:
You might feel like a bad mommy if…you are getting increasingly frustrated that every time you leave your office one of the kids walks by and turns out the light, so that every time you come back from a quick bathroom run or a trip to the tea kettle and sit down at your desk the room is dim and you have to get up and trot around your desk to turn the light back on. You’ve had about enough.
Your children have become just as bad as their father. They’ve turned into the electricity police. You promise yourself next time it happens you are going to call a family meeting and give them all warning to keep their frugal fingers off your light switches.
Later that day you walk into your office with a fresh cup of tea, sit down at your desk and have to squint at your keyboard. They’ve done it again! That’s it. You surge up from your seat ready to give them all a piece of your mind and then suddenly realize they’ve been gone to school and work for hours.
So unless you’re wandered into a Hitchcok movie, *sigh* the culprit is you!
Yeah, Aimee, I want to know how you get your husband to do the Christmas shopping! I do it all every year. And, yes, I was checking Twitter at my son’s Christmas play last night.
Wendy, I was wondering who walked the dog.
Jennifer, have you tried some extra Vit B? That helps me at times when I’m really tired. I can relate though. I’m wiped.
Regina, I wish I could get my boys to turn the lights out and the TV off. They never do.
I don’t think I have any Bad Mommy stories this week. Or maybe I’m just not aware of them . . .
Abbi
Debbie, oh YES to the advantage of having teens!
Wendy – *hangs head in shame* Yes, after years of sitting with nothing to do as other people’s children play a musical instrument, I couldn’t take the 1 1/2 torture anymore. I read emails and popped on twitter until it was time for the 7th graders to play.
Jen – I hope you feel better soon. And if your body says it needs rest, I’d listen
Ahh, Regina – there IS no secret. HE likes to shop and I hate it. So, in answer to your question Jen, no, I don’t save money when he goes. I LOSE money. But it’s worth every penny
Abbi – THANK YOU for the twitter confession!!!! Makes me feel better
And the bad mommy moments that you aren’t aware of are the best kind!!
My husband did all of our sons christmas shopping too! I pick out everything the rest of the year, I figured I owed it to him. lol
And I am sure you were not the only one on the ipad or something similar at the concert.
You know you’re a bad mommy when…
Your four year old son falls off the couch, busts open his chin, is bleeding and on your way to the hospital, after you’ve phoned the plastic surgeon, all you can say is ‘I told you that if you stood on the couch, you were going to bust open your head.’
Even worse when the plastic surgeon offers to give you the names of other plastic surgeons since you’re ‘obviously going to be coming in a lot.’
So sorry, Rebecca! I hope he’s feeling better! I wouldn’t have been able to keep my mouth closed either! Why can’t they just listen??????
Oh, Rebecca, I’m SO sorry! My oldest fell off a kitchen chair when he was 2 and sliced up his nose and I remember muttering the same thing as I drove him to the hospital – “Why didn’t you listen to me? I said to sit down in the chair!” I hope he’s ok – that’s very scary.
I hope nobody minds if I leave a “daddy” one since I have a bit more experience with that part.
My daughter had been asking questions for abour 15 minutes straight. She said, “Daddy…” and I replied with yelling, “FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT’S HOLY, WHAT DO YOU WANT?” She said (very sheepishly), “I just wanted to say that I really love you.”
Try looking your daughter in the eye after that one.
I am so happy you came by to share you daddy experience! I love that story – that has happened to me when my boys are chattering nonstop and all I hear is “Mommy, mommy, mommy!” Nice to know it happens to all of us – thanks for coming by!!!
Love this! But… I would be jumping for joy if my hubby did ALL the Christmas shopping. No guilt required on that one!
Thanks,Latorsha! I’m glad I’m not the only one skipping out on the Christmas shopping. And I spied several smart phones being used during the concert, so I knew I wasn’t the only one. But it didn’t make me feel any less guilty LOL. Thanks for stopping by!
Sorry to hear about your son, Rebecca! I think most kids split their chins open at some point during childhood. Hopefully the plastic surgeon list won’t get much use.
All parental comments welcome, Military Dad!! And I would (and have!) felt guilty about losing my patience.
Well, I am pleased I don’t have to do the shopping, Steph. LOL. But come Christmas morning I feel that twinge of guilt because the kids automatically say “Thanks Dad” when they open their gifts. They know full well how much I hate to shop.
This weekend I forgot to order my son’s birthday cake. My husband was genuis enough to place blame on the real culprit… the bakery!
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Hi Stesha!
That man is a keeper!
Thanks for stopping by!