Moms, moms everywhere...

I am in no way an expert in motherhood, but I find it most amusing how some mothers "mother" their children. Although every mom is different, they seem to fall into three main categories. The "perfect" mom, the obsessive mom, and the "fah-git about it" mom.

The perfect mom is usually in no way perfect, but likes everyone to think she is. In fact it is nearly impossible to catch her at a weak moment. They spend every spare moment they have making sure they are prepared for everything. A scraped knee? No problem! Antibiotic ointment, bandaid, a kiss and all is well with the world. They have a schedule that rarely waivers and it works perfectly - of course! Their children are perfect too. They always sleep through the night. There are never projectile vomiting episodes or blown out diapers. This mother has everything handled. (Psssst.... it's a total front...)These moms are most likely to have a breakdown. This is the mother that hides her bottle of wine in the pantry and has a makeshift cot set up with a sappy romance novel and boxes of kleenex.

The obsessive mom! Now this one is my favorite - only because they are so easy to spot. This is the mom that eats, breathes, and sleeps her child and their progress. She has read every book under the sun regarding childhood developement. She has a reserved spot at the pediatrician. She buys antibacterial everything and carries a large bottle of Purel with her wherever she goes. She freaks out if her child isn't sitting up unassisted by 6 months. And forget about having a conversation with her that isn't about her kid - it's impossible. This is the woman you want to slap and yell at her to "SNAP OUT OF IT".

Now the third category is usually reserved for second-time moms, but on rare ocassion the first-time moms do fit into this category. The "fah-git about it" moms are the moms that may have been the "perfect" mom previously and had to be admitted to a facility or realized that they now no longer have time to be obsessive. These are the moms that see their children pick up random cheerios in the parking lot and choose to turn a blind eye. Or just let their children nap when their tired, eat when their hungry, and play when they want to. They don't have the desire or time to analyze everything he/she does and see if they are "on track" - so forget about it - don't let the stress get to them. They have realized that their children won't break. It's ok to let go. There weren't hundreds of books to memorize or an internet when we were kids. Parents "winged" it, and we didn't turn out all that bad (well most of us)!

So, there you have it. There, of course, are many other moms out there. Some blend the lines between the categories, some have created their own, but I think what moms need to realize is that each phase of motherhood should be one to be enjoyed. Your kids feel anxiety. Your kids feel you being uptight and stressed. Just let it go and enjoy it. This phase will be gone before you know it. And, guess what? The other night I forgot to nurse Mason. And surprisingly he survived through the night - a little constipated, but nothing that a prune won't fix. Just roll with the punches. Your family's needs are going to be different than mine. But all in all, just make it fun.