Bad Mom, Bad Mom, Whatcha Gonna Do?
Dear Mouthy Housewives,
My husband has been out of town for a week, and I’m stuck at home with my one-year-old and my three-year-old. The weather’s too nasty to go outside, plus the baby’s sick, so it’s made me totally exhausted. I’ve been letting my older child watch a lot of TV just so I can get a break, but this is making me feel really guilty. Am I a bad mom?
Signed,
Boob Tubing In Boston
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Dear Boob Tubing,
You know the type of woman who never asks herself if she’s a bad mom? It’s the one whose kids are slurping Diet Coke out of baby bottles and playing soccer in Ross Dress for Less.
You know the type of woman who constantly asks herself if she’s a bad mom? It’s the one whose kid is doing just fine, but she still thinks she has to wonderfully fulfill every second of his little life or he won’t get early admission to Harvard.
Sound familiar?
If your children are fed, clothed and loved to the best of your ability, of course you’re not a bad mom. And let’s be honest, stuck inside the house with a sick baby and an active toddler for a week with no help is pretty much like being a contestant on some masochistic Japanese game show. Like “Big Happy Hamster Time Dance” or something. Hard work, no fun and you can’t understand what the hell everyone’s saying.
Now, if you can’t find anyone to come give you a break and you’re truly trapped, I suggest spreading out the TV watching in half-hour increments. Maybe try to sit next to your child while he’s watching so you feel like you’re interacting somewhat. (Note: You don’t have to actually pay attention to the show for this to work. Just randomly yell out, “Wow! That’s sure a funny turtle!” every few minutes. Because there’s always a funny turtle.) No, this isn’t the best thing for your kid, but a few days of extra TV time so mommy can get a break never harmed anyone.
And the next time your husband goes away for a week, make sure it’s in the summer.
Love,
Wendi, TMH
8 Responses to “Bad Mom, Bad Mom, Whatcha Gonna Do?”
Comment by Diane.
We’ve found a way to work a little preschool education into these hours of recuperative video ease. We watch HGTV’s House Hunters – we practice counting (will it be house 1, 2 or 3?) and point out all the new colors (green shag, orange walls, magenta floor tiles). I’ve found my children really engaging (we even make fun of the accents (about = a boat) and asking for more. Wendi has great advice – don’t sweat it – sometime we all need a good virus to slow down from our crazy lives – this forces us to sit still for more than 5 mins and that really shouldn’t be a bad thing. In a few years, when they are full of pre-teen angst, we will all be wishing back to these days to sit like a lump on the couch.
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Comment by hokgardner.
Excellent advice!
And “Big Happy Hamster Time Dance” – hahahahahaha
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Comment by knittergran.
wow! Diane, you are a genius. I love your, uh, creativity!
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Comment by marathonmom.
OK the Ross Dress for Less comment was a low blow – “furniture shopping” is perfectly legitimate entertainment IMO.
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Comment by the mama bird diaries.
Sometimes we are all at the end of our rope. A little extra TV one week will not harm your child. And it could save your sanity.
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Comment by Lynn.
Um, no. Three kids stuck inside during what I assume was the Big-Ass Snowpocalype of the East Coast? I let my kid watch two movies in a row one day and didn’t care because she was driving me up the frickin’ wall. Sometimes Mom’s sanity is best for everyone.
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Comment by kmdguerra.
Can I rename my blog to “Big Happy Hamster Time Dance”? If not, I am so using that to describe my life to random strangers now. Brilliant!
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Amy Reply:
February 17th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
I SO agree…
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