BACK TO SCHOOL (Mommy Wars Spoof) feat. Fruit of the Loom

Mommy isn't Perfect So Why Try?

Your mother wasn't perfect and neither were the women who came before her.  They lied, stole, or did other things that they secretly didn't want anyone to ever find out about. 

Mothers critical of other mothers--you got a lot of nerve, right?  Hope and pray that judgment won't fall on you and your family.

What mothers should and shouldn't do...you might have read a few articles, books, and more about motherhood guidance.  However, I can tell you being a wife and mother of four boys and an author and speaker you will never get it all right.  You might think you did a good job in one area and then discover when you are seated across the table with a teacher/relative/friend that you dropped the ball in your parenting skills in another area.

As mothers we have a limited amount of time to get things right with our children as well as a limit on our patience too.  However, God (whether you believe in Him or not) is so generous with his mercy and his time with us.  You might consider yourself to be perfect, but those around you know better.

If you have repeatedly went to him humble and asking for forgiveness of sin and all-too-willing to do what's right for yourself and children, he hears your prayers.  But woe to that conceited, bitter, or manipulative mother, she will reap what she has sown while pointing the fingers at others. 

So many years gone by, children who are misguided and lost due to the ignorance and misdeeds of prideful moms.  Knowing full well they could do better and change from their evil ways, they don't and rather redirect their stubborn ways, pain and mental illness onto spouses, children and others.  For the mother who thinks herself to be perfect, better than most, ends up losing in the end much (marriages, wealth, health, friendships, etc.)  Her children don't bother with her.  Her husband secretly regrets ever meeting her.  Her family and former friends caution others about her.  The world doesn't like her perfect type.  She often feels alone.

If you have a faith, use it and if you think you can do better, just do it.  You won't ever be perfect, so why try?  Rather strive for doing what's right even when you or someone else is in the wrong.  Believers put their trust in God.  Take a moment to pray today and turn those burdens over to God, He's listening.  Salvation Prayer.

Nicholl McGuire

Competitive Mothers - Why Do They Think They Need to Prove Anything?

She tells you about everything she is into, shares about her children's achievements almost daily (especially on Facebook), mentions "what you ought to or should do" if she feels the least bit worried you are doing better than her.  You realize the competitive Mom is competing with you, because for every one statement you make, she has three or four that sounds better than yours or worst depending on how she thinks.

Some mothers don't realize they are not making friends when they act in boastful ways.  They don't bother to think how they make others feel when they dominate conversations talking about all they and children do.  It isn't any wonder that most of their friendships come to a swift end.

When I first came across some competitive mothers, I didn't have any children at the time, so I couldn't relate to conversations where mother talks about what she has, where she has been and what her children are up to, etc. a mile a minute.  But what I did hear in those boring conversations (for a young person back then) were jealous, insecure women who felt that they had to prove that they were "good," "better," "know better," etc.  They were oftentimes jealous of others especially those of us (in the past) who had no children and was able to do much with our free time.  At times these women were insecure, because their husbands hadn't validated them in years, so along comes attractive 20 something year olds and now they feel they had to teach  the young people a thing or two.  Now this was decades ago for me, but I remember those times. 

Presently with four children of my own, married, and living each day like it's the last one, I have little patience for the braggarts.  We might have parallel lives, but I'm not interested in playing a competitive game of who has it worst or who has it best.  Can we just talk?

Nicholl McGuire is the author of Tell Me Mother You're Sorry, Say Goodbye to Dad, and other books.