Mommy, You're the BEST

In the past week, the blogoshere has been gushing with "I am a Good Parent" declarations, triggered by Rebecca of Girl's Gone Child, who suggests that the trend of self-deprecation is the new “I’m fat”. She's definitely on to something...

Why, I don't even think twice about posting about my insecurities as as new mom- feeling alone, and seeking validation. In my personal life, I make jokes about my inability to discipline and I'm the first one to downplay my role as primary caretaker of my son and household. I do this because I try not to take myself too seriously and musing about my mishaps and missteps has always to be crowd pleaser.

Rebecca DOES have a point about this constant self-deprecation being hurtful in a way. She writes...

That by saying I love myself and my abilities as a mother, I am somehow being arrogant, cocky. Vain? That we so easily say kind and loving things about our children and are unable to say anything kind and loving about ourselves. Don't we deserve that? Haven't we earned that right

After all, no one wants to be seen as a CompetiMommy, right? As if saying we're bad moms, makes us more approachable and more likable. Come to think of it, isn't that a bit like playing dumb so the boys will like you...

So, the answer to your question, Rebecca, is YES. Yes, we have earned the right to be proud of all of our good intentions, the quiet, blissful moments that we don't blog about, and all of the effort we put into being GOOD PARENTS.

Parenting is hard. I may not always know what I'm doing, but everything I do is out of love for my son. If no one else will tell me what a good, nay... AMAZING mom I am, it's about time that I do...

I'm a good mom because I care enough to have guilt.

I'm a good mom because I don't need baby sign language to know exactly what my son needs... I already know.

I'm a good mom because for my son I find strength and patience I never knew I had. When I had a bad day at work (when I was working), I would just get up and leave- sometimes just for a quick walk around the cube farm, sometimes for lunch, sometimes for the day... I just left until I could deal with it again. Well, I can't do that with my son. Doing a good job with him matters more to me than any project for work.

I'm a good mom because I love my son so much that I could eat him. As he leaves for work in the morning, my husband will (jokingly) remind me, "Don't eat the baby today." I never do. Still, that kind of love is scary because I know if anything were to happen to him, it would hurt that much more. Yet, I'm willing to take the risk because I can't imagine my life without him.

I'm a good mom because no matter how challenging our day has been, I still look forward doing it all again tomorrow.

And, lastly... I'm a good mom because my son tells me so- every morning when I walk into his nursery and he beams at me, every day when he reaches out to hug me, and every evening when he won't go to sleep until I kiss him good-night.

Sorry, if this isn't as fun and frivioulous as some of my previous posts, but Rebecca made me do it. (THANK YOU, REBECCA.)