I can't believe it.

[la_rainette]

I can't believe I'm thirty *indistinct mumble to hide the something count* and still do the very small voice with my mom.

mom: Why is Tadpole wearing pants today? When she obviously wants a dress?
la rainette: becauseshesouldn'tshowherlegs
mom *pityless and not quite hard of hearing, but used to plow right through the small voice thing*: what was that?
la rainette: she drew on her legs with a ball point pen on the way to the airport (pen from last week's B'day party, HELLO, parents, watch what you put in the loot bags!) and then she fell asleep on the way home, and this morning I didn't have the heart to wake her up extra early just to clean her legs, she was so tired, the poor thing...
Mom: So! You mean you send your daughter off to play group with ball point pen all over her legs?
la rainette: eeek. Yes mom.

Somebody PEASE tell me I am not an unworthy mom. Am on the verge of tears right now.

God, this is going to be a long month.

Comments

[friede.livejournal.com]

You are a good mum with lovely daughters! Ommmm.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I really needed to hear this.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

i think it's cute. mamie no doubt thought you should wake the baby up and scrub her and make her cry. how is that better? meh.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

My point, exactly. :) Thanks for understanding.

[setissma.livejournal.com]

Rainette, darling. You are a lovely, wonderful parent. I hope I grow up to be like you. You have exercised your decision-making skills, and, in my opinion, made a good call. I expect, knowing most five year olds, waking her up early and making her take a bath would've resulted in an extraordinarily cranky Tadpole, which you would have subsequently been yelled at for. *hugs* At least this way everyone's happy, except your Mum, and anyway, I guarantee she's going to pick at you. Just remind yourself that they are your daughters, not hers, and that she's merely trying to help because her own ickle babies have fledged and left the nest. :) And you're a wonderful parent, Rainette. Don't worry.

[setissma.livejournal.com]

Most two year olds. I thought, originally, you were talkin' 'bout Froglet. *facepalms*

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Yes, she will pick at me. *resolves to let go*

Thank you for being there, and thank you for being your lovely self, and thank you for the encouragement.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Elle fait un[e] betise, IMHO.

They're your kids, and yeah. Keep your chin up! Remember your autonomy! Remember they're your kids, and you know more about their happiness and their needs than anybody visiting for a month, even blood relations!

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Merci. (une betise, au fait ;) )

The hardest thing is, as much as I know that intellectually, my guts keep screaming Bad mommy! Bad mommy! to me... So, thank you for reminding me! I do think they're happy kids, if not, er, the cleanest kids on earth right now.

Because being a mom IS funny

[http://users.livejournal.com/_skye_/]

I so know. Up until I was 25 or so, I still had my mom cut my chicken off the bone for me, because she could do it just so.

Remember. Humor. HUMOR! Pretend that everything she says, she is partially joking. Here, let me try.


mom: Why is Tadpole wearing pants today? When she obviously wants a dress?
Well, I really thought about sending her off today like an Aborigine, tattoos all over her legs from her writing on her leg yesterday, but I'm trying to keep the fact that we're savages a secret from my friends.
mom: Why didn't you wash it off?
Oh, I have this thing about making my children scream and throw humongous fits early in the morning: I avoid this, as a rule. I'm just crazy like that, I guess, loving my children too much.

It also helps to pretend-mock yourself ("Oh, I'm such a bad mommie for making her hold my hand so she doesn't get run over by a car, I know!") like she's in on the joke, because there is no response to this, except "Yeah, you are a bad mom!" which she would never go so far as to say.

You keep venting to us -- we'll keep you sane! Plus we know this is one little thing, and there are many good things, too.

Re: Because being a mom IS funny

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

:) Am glad LJ is there when I need to vent. Thank you for helping me stay sane!

[muffytaj.livejournal.com]

Eeek. *hides from Big Bad mummies*

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

*hides too*

[terrylj.livejournal.com]

You are a totally rotten mom. Because OMG didn't you see that article on the news last week where, in 2003 alone, 67 kids DIED of ink on their skin?

No, you didn't see that one?

Because it DIDN'T HAPPEN.

So she drew on her legs. Big whoop. I sent my kids to daycare in their pajamas if I didn't feel like waking them up to get them dressed. Nobody ever came and arrested me. (Heh. Yet. The fashion police probably has me on "Suspicious Person" status, though.)

I know, though....my mom does this to me all the time. It's only since I turned thirty-*also mumbles through the something part* that I have the nerve to give her the good ol' eyeroll and say, "Mooooooooom," (with six or seven syllables, that's important) "They're, like, MY kids, OK?" After all, if she's going to treat me like a kid, I'm going to respond like a kid!

She usually rolls her eyes also, but it makes her realize that she's overdoing it and she should stop.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing, Terry! It's SO GOOD to hear that I am not the only one.

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Kids are kids for too short a time, and sleep is more useful than waking early to be spotlessly cleaned - a bit of ball pen on her legs where nobody will see isn't the end of the world, you're a good mom :)

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Thank you :D You guys are all wonderful.

[exit-chrysalis.livejournal.com]

I'm not a mom- only seventeen- but I have younger siblings, including one that just turned seven. I believe a similar incident happened at our house a few years ago. As my (very wonderful) mom says, "The baby's sleep and my sanity win over anything short of profusive bleeding or eminent death." You were perfectly justified. Plus, Tadpole probably would have been upset at you washing off her "artwork." I know I would have been at that age.
As a side note, in case you didn't know already, hairspray (the cheap and slightly sticky kind) is really great for removing ballpoint ink from skin, clothing, etc. Just spray on, scrub, and rinse, then wash off the residue.

[terrylj.livejournal.com]

What's good for permanent markers? 'Cause Delenn got hold of one and marked her clothes all up. (And guess what, la_rainette's mom, she's going to wear them even if I can't clean them, because I am a cheap mom.)

[exit-chrysalis.livejournal.com]

As far as I've found, only time. Or bleach. I actually use them as marking pens for laundry and to conceal bleach spots on black shirts, since they don't wash out easily.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Thank you, you're lovely. Oh, and thanks for the tips, too :D *makes note*

[l33tminion]

There is no feasible way to prevent little children from drawing all over themselves. And you made the right call. A special cleaning just means an irritated child (irritated mostly because they have to redo their artwork, usually as soon as possible).

Don't let your mom get to you. You might no longer be a child, but to parents their children are always their children, and they treat them accordingly. They can't help it, really.

And it's easy for parents, when things get overwhelming, to look at parenting as a task to be done (and done right) and not as a relationship between people. Children are most definitely people, just as much as adults are, just in their own unique way. You understand this, I think, and that makes you a good parent in my book.

*sigh*
Some things never change. But your mom still loves you. Just as you love your children. That won't change, either.

*hugs*
Don't worry. You're worthy.

[la-rainette.livejournal.com]

Thank you *hugs* It's good to hear.