Sunday, April 15, 2012

Ideal vs Reality Mommy

I have this picture in my head of the ideal mom that I want to be. Some days I get close to that ideal. Many days I do not. Ideal Mommy cooks a unique breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day with organic fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Reality Mommy sometimes makes mac'n'cheese out of a box (at least it's organic!) and is not above throwing a handful of Cheerios on my son's highchair tray for breakfast. Ideal Mommy does all the dishes, the laundry, cleans the house, and is generally perfect. Reality Mommy does some of the dishes, a little laundry, checks Facebook and then goes outside to play with the Eskimo. Ideal Mommy is happy! And cheerful! And enthusiastic! Reality Mommy needs another cup of coffee. Ideal Mommy showers everyday, applies makeup, and looks fantastic. Reality Mommy is still in her pajamas.

Sometimes I torture myself with Ideal Mommy. But mostly, I keep this image around as a goal. I never expect myself to achieve perfection in all arenas at the same time. We all know those moms who seem like Ideal Mommy. They have a spotless house, are masterful chefs, throw beautiful parties, and always look gorgeous. Maybe they know something I don't. Perhaps they've latched onto the secret of Motherhood and someone forgot to send me the memo. We all do it to some degree, but I try not to measure myself against other mothers too much. I look to my child to see how I'm doing. He's happy. He's thriving. He's having fun. I must be doing something right.

What. Haven't you ever seen mac'n'cheese out of a box with frozen veggies?

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