Almost every day, a mom posts a story about how she screwed up. Usually the story is self-deprecating, funny, relatable, and the whole reason we love blogs. But what about those stories that are so scary, such narrow misses, that the mother collapses in tears and her heart races for at least an hour afterward? I haven’t come across those very often. In fact I can recall many of the first type but none of the second. Mommybloggers, this scurvy crew, love to spotlight our own foibles and shortcomings for comedy and to make other mothers feel better. I know I am guilty of that. But there are times when we really do screw up, I mean for real, but we don’t write about those times on our blogs for fear that someone will misunderstand and call the authorities.
I mean, other moms have those stories. Not me. You? Would you share them? I’m curious.
It would depend on the screw up? But I think anything short of real neglect or abuse would be good to vent as a mother. Plus, if you know what your doing is wrong on too many levels, you don’t blog that, you seek therapy.
I gave Jackson peanut sauce at the thai restaurant at 3 months. Completely insane, but it did not kill him. 3 years later, a friend reminded me of it Saturday night when we were back there. Not that they don’t remind me more often, cuz they do.
And if this photo is supposed to show you messing up Kyle, I would say it is anything but. Looks like a very well rounded child there.
Only with many layers of anonymity.
http://suedoenim.blogspot.com/2008/01/post-i-didnt-want-to-write.html
I’ll talk about how I screwed up. What I often won’t talk about is how often I screw up in just the same way. Because once is funny/self-deprecating/interesting/relatable. Seventy-three times in a week-and-a-half is just being a bad parent with no learning curve. I am often a bad parent with no learning curve.
I answered your question on my blog! You know: What the heck is kamish? LOL. I always forget I speak my own language!
Would it land me in jail?
I still think about the time I spanked Cosette. How I was so upset and at my wit’s end… that post didn’t generate the outcry I expected. So yeah, I’ll post about my screw up’s. As long as they can’t be used against me in a court of law.
quick clarification…not that I’ve done anything that would warrant sending me to jail.
LOVE that picture!
As a mother of twins, I have many of those stories, pick a date and I have one. And as a Child Protective Services worker, I’m supposed to know better. But I’ve decided that mother of twins trumps child protective servies worker any day. I could be arrested AND lose my job, but that hasn’t stopped me yet. (And yes, I have spanked them) Here’s one that fits your description of heart racing (for the rest of the day) and falling down on my knees to thank God for intervening where we failed to use good judgment. Woke up one day to find my 12 month old son with the ribbon from the edging of his home-made blanket wrapped several times around his neck!! He wasn’t struggling to breath or anything but with more time and that ribbon pulled tighter… I can’t finish the sentence. With my years of experience with babies/kids, educating mothers about child safety- yes I missed that one and it was almost fatal.
i caught one of my older sons by the ankle as he plummeted head first out of the shopping cart towards the floor of target after i turned my back for a second when he was on the short side of 3. about an inch to spare.
even worse than that, my 22 month old wanders around the house holding a wii remote muttering “madd’n, madd’n…” to himself for extended periods of time. i’m not sure if there was a true screwup flashpoint catalyst for that one, but my wife’s not too happy about it.