End-of-the-Month Dinner

You know what that is. Don't lie.

It's the end of the month and you're broke. You've got a hungry family waiting on you to fix something mind-blowing (or maybe just edible) for dinner. You walk into your kitchen and are, quite frankly, appalled at the lack of healthy sustenance available. So, you scramble together what ingredients and pieces of meals you can find and hope to god it turns out okay. Sometimes, you get lucky. Sometimes, you find new and amazing ways to combine different foods for a GI-tract pleasing meal. Other times...not so much.

This is how my "end-of-the-month" dinner went two nights ago:

Thanks to my sweet mother, there was a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the refrigerator. "Awesome," I thought. "I've got some flour, some Crisco, milk and eggs. I can fry it!" Several hours pass, the Hubs gets home from work and it's time to start cooking. When I wander back into the kitchen and seriously think about frying the chicken, my conviction pales. I am going to get flour all over everything. I am going to have more dishes to wash afterward. That's not happening. "Alright, alright. I can just bake it. That's healthier anyway."

Now, to find some sides.

Check the cabinets: more cans of beans than I want to admit, no-boil lasagna noodles, Gerber Graduate snacks for the boy, muffin mix, tea. "Hm. No biggie. I'll just check the freezer."

Freezer: popsicles, waffles, more popsicles, a mostly empty bag of Pillsbury biscuits, half empty bag of frozen corn and a partially empty bag of carrots. "Biscuits always go great with chicken." Turn the oven on to pre-heat for the biscuits. Check.

Once I've assembled the desired seasonings for the chicken from the Hubs (I think I'll start calling him "Flavor Master." That's kinda sexy.), I season the chicken and then go back into the freezer to grab the corn. When I open the bag and look inside, though, I see the corn is over a year old and, even though its been in the freezer and should still be good, it clearly isn't. Slightly disappointed (I really love corn), I toss it and go back for the carrots.

These carrots were so old and so freezer-burned that there was absolutely no way to save them. Ever. Dejected, I toss them, too. A meal just isn't complete without some sort of color, in my opinion, so I open the fridge in desperation.

Applesauce.

"Better than nothing, and at least it's good for you!" I figured.

By this time, the biscuits are done cooking. Apparently, the biscuits weren't good anymore, either, because they were...grey. A rather nasty shade of grey. (No Fifty Shades of Grey looks good on biscuits...trust me.) There were biscuit icicles coming off the sides, too. I didn't take a picture (for some reason) so I can't show you what biscuit icicles really look like, but trust me when I say that they are completely unappetizing. Even the Hubs didn't want to touch the biscuits - and that right there says more than anything else.

But you know what? Despite all of the fail of dinner, that chicken was delicious.

And at least we had applesauce.

And leftover wedding-shower cake (congrats to my sister and her fiancee, by the way).

Mmm. Cake.

-Mommy Michelle

True story.

(In a totally unrelated note, I tried to make my own biscuits from scratch last night...without self-rising flour...or baking soda. Let me tell you what, I thought they would still be alright - just flat. I can handle flat biscuits. I love bread in just about any form. I wasn't banking on biscuits so hard I could knock them against the wall without hurting the biscuit. Just don't do it. Learn from my baking fails.)

When Silence is Scary

Parenthood is full of irony.

For instance, it is ironic how, when you have a newborn who is asleep and awake on their own random schedule, all you want is for them to sleep through the night, yet the first time you wake up and they are still asleep you freak out and immediately think all the worst things possible. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a very real and very scary aspect of having an infant. Though a ton of research is being done to figure out what, exactly, causes SIDS, the exact cause is still unknown. (There has been recent evidence that it could be a pre-existing condition in certain babies or an as-yet-undetectable birth defect.) New parents are swamped with information and a huge list of "dos and don'ts" to try and minimize risks: put them to sleep on their backs, don't use cushioned bedding or crib bumpers, don't have extra blankets or stuffed animals in bed with the child, use a pacifier at night, etc. It's overwhelming.

But once you pass that one year mark when the risk of SIDS drops dramatically and THEN your child sleeps through the night...you rejoice. It's very similar to the irony of wishing your child would play by themselves for a moment so you can clean or sit down and have some quiet for a change, only to freak out a few minutes later when you realize there is no sound coming from their room or the area they were just playing in.

I've seen awful pictures of a child who has smeared poo all over their room and themselves. I have heard horror stories of children pulling drawers from dressers onto themselves and being trapped underneath them. (Incidentally, not many people tell you how paranoid a lot of parents become throughout their children's lives. I never thought I would worry about half the things that cross my mind every single day. It's maddening!)

So, when this gem showed up on my Facebook news feed the other day, I knew I had to write about it and share it:

Once again, credit cannot be given because I have no idea who made this originally.

This is so accurate it's almost laughable! What is that toddler doing? Has he gotten into the fridge and is spreading sour cream all over the cat? Is she chowing down on the dog's food? Does he have a sharpie and is he decorating all of his appendages? Has she choked on something in the hallway and you just didn't hear it?

Needless to say, this has happened to me on several occasions. I'll be sitting in the living room reading, on the Internet, or maybe I'm in the kitchen doing dishes or in the bedroom folding laundry when suddenly I notice a distinct lack of noise. I race into my son's bedroom and find a myriad of situations. One time, he was playing quietly by himself with his play-doh. Another time he was hiding out in a pop-up tent and covering his legs with all sorts of markers. The worst instance, he was in the kitchen and had sprayed himself in the face with oven cleaner.

Everything was fine. Didn't even get a scar! :)

There are times, though, when silence is just as sweet as it can be. My husband and I have passed our Nintendo 64 down to our son and Addison's got a pretty sweet set-up on top of his dresser. He absolutely loves to play "Crusin' the World"; he calls it "Race Cars." A lot of times, he'll ask me to turn the game on for him, and he'll sit on his Corvette bed (he's so cool) and play. I will, usually, go about my business while he plays (unless he begs me to sit on the bed with him and watch him race - he's so cute that it's hard to say no - and who would rather wash dishes than watch a child play and laugh? Weirdo's, that's who.) Not that long ago, this very scenario happened. After several minutes had gone by without him yelling out, "check point!", I freaked the freak out and raced into his room to check on him, my paranoid parental mind taking me to dark places no parent ever wants to visit.

Do you know what I found?

This absolutely cuteness.

Life is so rough on toddlers, isn't it?

-Mommy Michelle

Hateful People Shouldn't Have Children

The only thing more annoying than a fussy toddler who has had to sit in one spot and wait for twenty minutes before he/she has had a nap and who is unable to play with his/her favorite toy at that exact moment is a rich, spoiled, west Knoxville mom who has an all-too-important hair appointment she simply can't miss, even if it's for something as enriching for her child as story time with a bunch of other kids at the local library. A story time that lasts for a little less than half an hour.

I can understand having engagements to keep. I wouldn't want to be late to an appointment, either, but don't take your frustrations out on your child, the story teller or the parents around you. None of those people have done anything to cause or exacerbate your situation!

You may have already figured this out, but this is what happened last Tuesday at the library.

This woman comes in and sits next to me and I can already tell she's agitated. Her perfectly manicured nails are tapping on one perfectly tanned arm while her crossed leg is bouncing up and down causing her high-fashion sandal to flop back and forth over her perfectly painted toes. Most parents who arrive early (myself included) will do one of a few things: 1) let the kid go pick out a book and read to them, 2) let their kid go sit in the middle of story area and play with other kids, or 3) give your kid your phone and let them play angry birds. (Probably not the best or most educational choice but holy crap does it work!)

Do you know what isn't so helpful? Making irritated sighing noises, looking at your watch with exaggerated movements every few seconds and complaining in ridiculous stage whispers about how late the story teller is or all of the incredibly important things you need to do. If it comes to that, then go. The rest of us who are there to actually enjoy ourselves and share a super fun and healthy interaction with our children and other people in our community certainly don't want your negativity all up in our space.

Was I irritated that the story teller was twenty minutes late? A little, but I know how important it is to have these fun group activities with toddlers and I would gladly sit and entertain my son for a half hour in order to have the joy of watching him enraptured in a story, answering questions when he's asked and dancing around in a shower of bubbles while he stares with glee at his new sticker.

There is just no reason to be in a crappy mood when you can do something to change your circumstances; and there is certainly no reason to inflict your crappy mood on other people. How ridiculous is that! Misery may love company, but my company certainly doesn't love your misery.

What's even better is that when I, rather nicely I thought, told the woman that if she was so upset and busy she could always leave, she looked at me as if I had grown horns out of my head. Seriously? Is that such an outlandish notion that you have to glare at me like I'm the one who is complaining and whining? Please.

It's such a shame that her child has to be in her company for the majority of his life at present. He was a cute little boy who was only too happy to sit in the floor and play with the other kids there.

That's my boy in the red shirt with the adorable blond curls. He's so cute and attentive.

I do want to congratulate that mom who, like me, suggested that if the story teller didn't show up within the next few minutes we should go and pick out some books and read them to the gathered children ourselves. I'm going to school to be a teacher. I am certainly not intimidated by a gaggle of toddlers staring at me expectantly and, you can ask Addison, I can read stories in funny voices better than most.

That is definitely an awesome mom super power.

-Mommy Michelle

Boobies!

Happy National Breastfeeding Week!

I absolutely love this week! The whole purpose is to celebrate all of those mommas who breastfeed (or support it!) and to raise awareness on just how extremely beneficial breastfeeding is for both the baby AND the momma! Seriously, there are so, so, SO many good things that come from breastfeeding and that knowledge is growing and spreading every single day. Just take a read for yourself: (I looked at a lot of sites and they all agree on all of these points. I've always loved babycenter.com so I chose theirs to share.) How Breastfeeding Benefits You and Your Baby.

When I was pregnant, I heard all about how "breast is best." But if that was true, then why were my obstetricians and doctors giving me packets of information and handfuls of coupons on formula? Sure, there was a lactation consultant that came in and helped me get Addison to latch when we tried to breastfeed for the first time (which can be unbelievably hard!) and there was always someone on call that could come in and help me if I needed it, but it felt like all of these professionals were telling me formula is just as good as breastfeeding. It's not. Did you know that some doctors get paid based on how much formula they can pawn off on mommas? That sounds awful...because it is. Luckily there is a lot being done about this ridiculousness. For starters, the mayor of New York City is laying down some pretty awesome rules for the hospitals. That's just a beginning, but it's a great beginning and I think these types of decisions will spread and impact hospitals all over the place. As pointed out in that article, it's not an issue of taking away choice. Women are still free to formula-feed their baby from day one if they want. It's about education.

Now, there have been extremely awesome strides in making formula as close to breast milk as possible. In fact, there are plenty of good things about formula! I'm not knocking formula-feeders in any way. In fact, I formula-fed Addison for most of his bottle days. That doesn't change the fact that a lot of women out there simply don't know the facts. They don't know the difference or just how beneficial breastfeeding actually is. We are made to feed our babies. That is the true purpose of breasts (despite what your significant others may say). It doesn't matter how big or small they are. It doesn't matter what shape they are or what color they are. Breast IS best.

Here's my personal breastfeeding story:

Addison and I in the hospital the day he was born

I started out all gung-ho about strictly breastfeeding and for about two and a half or three weeks, I did. I just hadn't expected it to be so freakin' hard. I remember, specifically, one night after only being home from the hospital for about a week...I was rocking Addison in the living room around three in the morning, bone tired, desperately trying to get a fussy and hungry newborn to latch...and he just wouldn't. It was breaking my heart that I was sitting here, breasts full of milk just for my son, and I couldn't get him to eat! I felt like a failure as a mother. I sobbed. I sat there holding him, rocking him and apologizing for what felt like hours. No mother wants to feel that way. Ever.

When we continued to have difficulties latching, and I was told I had to supplement formula into my son's diet so he would gain his weight back (which, incidentally, wasn't necessarily true). Once he figured out how much easier it was to drink from a bottle, that was it. He didn't want to latch ever again. I ended up getting a breast pump so he could still have breast milk even if it wasn't straight from me. You want to talk about an extremely awkward and unnatural feeling. I tried, though, and continued to pump for another week and a half or so...until my milk just dried up. I didn't know that there were ways to bring the supply back (ways that aren't even that difficult)! I didn't know that there were plenty of options I had to be able to keep breastfeeding my son. I did not have the support or knowledge I needed to continue to do it. THAT is what this week is all about!

Do I feel guilty for formula-feeding my son for a year of his life? Not at all. He got the nutrients and all the other stuff he needed to grow and be healthy. He is perfect, smart, adorable and all the things I ever wanted him to be. Do I wish I had been able to breastfeed him for longer? Absolutely.

My best friend is still breastfeeding her two-year-old and I think that is so awesome. She is doing the best thing for her little boy, despite all the looks and comments she gets and all the negativity people have towards mommas who breastfeed for longer than a year. Which is ridiculous and a whole different issue...

No, this week is all about being happy and positive and supporting this awesome super power that moms have. If you know a momma who is breastfeeding (or has), go give her a hug and let her know she's awesome. If you know a momma who wanted to or tried to and it didn't work out (whether from physical, mental or environmental circumstances), give her a hug, too, because she deserves it just as much. (Like me!)

You want to show your support publicly? There are lots of ways to do it! You can start by going to Magic-Milk on FB and 'liking' their page because local moms supporting this cause rock. :)

 Here's to all the boobies! :)

-Mommy Michelle

When You've Got A Tree To Lean On...

When it rains, it pours.

That little nugget of wisdom is no secret. (Warning: over-share imminent.) If you follow this blog semi-regularly, you already know I had a wisdom tooth extracted last Thursday through a series of unfortunate events. (Those books are absolutely awesome, by the way. Check them out if you haven't read them. They are a series of children's novellas written by the pen-name Lemony Snicket. Hilarious! Anyway...)

Apparently, having a ridiculously painful mouth wound wasn't enough. No, I had to start my shark week the day following. I've been on antibiotics for a couple weeks and, if you're a woman, you know what that can lead to... Needless to say, I have had a VERY rough week. My tooth is still sore. The pain, in fact, has spread up and down my jaw, the stitches have yet to fully dissolve, my gums are swollen beyond recognition and my cheek has a rather large, yellowish-green bruise that makes it look like I got punched in the face.

Knowing all of that, you wouldn't think my weekend could be awesome at all, would you? Joke's on you, friends. I had such an amazing weekend.

One thing made that weekend possibly: my Husband, the Hubs, my Sequoia. (He is very tall and tree-like.)

Being married is never easy. I don't care who you are. You suddenly have to learn how to live with an entirely other person in your life, every day. You share just about everything. You see them every day. Most of the time, it's great, but there are days where you just want to throttle them. I didn't think about physically harming my husband once this weekend!

He was absolutely sweet. He wanted to cuddle and hold me, he wanted to lightly scratch my back and neck (I'm a cat, I swear), he was in a great mood the entire time and he nearly made me forget my complete discomfort. Even better, he took our son with him almost everywhere he went so I could have some time to myself to just...relax. He got me ice cream, he brought me awesome Japanese food...he did everything I asked and even things I didn't even think of. It was a perfect weekend, maritally speaking.

I don't think he quite understands just how much that means to me.

We've had our disagreements. We argue (though we're working on that). But none of that stuff matters, I don't even think of the things he does that may annoy me, when I see him playing with our son. When I watch them have tickle fights and chase each other around the house. When I can lay in bed and listen to him read stories to Addison and send the cutest boy into a fit of giggles. That was what truly made my weekend so incredibly amazing.

Bedtime stories. :)

Sure, I get to watch them play a lot, but I've always got things on my mind when Addison is distracted and I'm not doing things for him. I'm thinking about the laundry that needs to be folded, the dishes that are accumulating in the sink, that soap scum I've started to notice around the faucet in the bathtub or the amount of dog hair in the carpet and if I really need to vacuum again after just a day. This weekend? I didn't think about any of that stuff. I was recuperating. I just got to to sit, watch, listen and smile. As an added bonus, we got to tie-dye some shirts this Sunday. It was my and Addison's first time and it was so much fun!

Addison is plotting his assault with the red dye while Daddy shows him what to do.

It's so rare to get to go out and do things together. Between work, house duties and family events, we are usually too tired (or broke) to get to do...well...anything. I don't mind staying home - far from it. An evening spent hanging out, reading, watching movies and spending time together in the living room is one of my favorite things to do. It's just been so hot lately that we haven't even been able to go to the playground.

This is the two of them a couple months ago at our local park. Adorable, aren't they?

 I have enough trouble being bound inside for the majority of my time, but to a two-year-old that is downright miserable. And having a miserable toddler leads to a miserable Mommy which usually leads to a miserable Daddy. Needless to say, we all needed a break. From everything. Getting to go out and about with Daddy was a welcome break from the apartment for Addison while getting some much needed Daddy/Son time without Mommy. Having the apartment to myself (while not actually getting out) was like a vacation in itself. You other SAHM's know what I'm talking about. There were a few messes that needed to be cleaned, the laundry basket was getting full, but I just sat my cute little butt in my chair with an ice pack and played Skyrim. (This is a nerdy mommy blog, you know.)

My point is: Addison loves his Daddy. It is so clear by all the fun they have and how much he laughs when Daddy is home. It's a beautiful thing. The look on Josh's face when he plays with Addison is just as inspiring. I love the saying, "Anyone can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy." I think that's absolutely true. Nowadays, so many "men" get girls pregnant and then leave them with nothing but child support payments. It's great that they are at least financially responsible for their children, but those children need a Daddy. Even if they can't (or won't) be around all the time, there is still a need for a role-model, for that positive male influence and all the things that Daddies can teach.

Even simple things like pointing out minnows in the lake.

I am thrilled that Addison has such a great Daddy. I love watching their bond grow more and more each day. I love that I get that same man as an amazing Husband who takes care of me and loves me, too. I love that our family is small but fits together perfectly.

At first, I thought it was odd that such happy thoughts could strike me while in the middle of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week. Then I realized, there is no better time to recognize the beauty in my life. I'm going to steal a quote from the great Albus Dumbledore:

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

One of the first pictures of Josh and Addison right after he was born. This picture never fails to make me smile and feel truly grateful for all that I have.

In conclusion, my wonderful audience, I have the best Husband, my son has the best Daddy, and - like a tree - my Sequoia is strong and supports us...even in the darkest of times. 

-Mommy Michelle

One Less Tooth, A Little More Wise

Yesterday was a huge ordeal.

About two weeks ago, I managed to chip my upper left wisdom tooth (apparently tooth #16) by eating a piece of baked chicken. I don't know. My dentist was closed for the entire week of the fourth and so I had to wait and wait. Went in, finally, got it checked out and he told me I would have to get it pulled. Not my favorite thing to do, but I had already had one pulled so I didn't think much of it.

Unfortunately, I did not realize that the first wisdom tooth had been cut out by an oral surgeon, not pulled by a general DDS. He tried. He tried very hard. He pulled on my tooth so much I thought he was going to rip half my face off in the process. Suddenly, crack! My wisdom tooth decided it was too cool to just be pulled. The top half broke right off leaving the roots and what not still intact. My teeth are apparently as stubborn as I am.

No problem, they said, we'll just send you to the oral surgeon down the road and he'll finish it up. Problem: I couldn't get in to see him for two hours. My mother, who was thankfully still off for recovery from her own surgery (ACL - nasty stuff), was acting as chauffeur and toddler-watcher for this whole ordeal, took us to Sonic for lunch and ice cream (Oreo blasts = delicious) and then we stopped by the Fountain City Duck Pond to feed the ducks and one random, obnoxiously loud goose.

This is the duck pond. Yes, it is in the shape of a heart.

This was the first time my little boy had actually gone down there and fed the ducks. He was so enthusiastic that he ended up throwing most of the little pellet food at the ducks instead of to them, but they didn't really seem to mind.

After picking up my pain meds, we headed to the surgeon and, bless them, they worked me in ASAP (an especially good thing since my anesthesia from the first attempt had worn off and I was very aware of my open mouth wound). Another shot, more tugging, and a few grunts from me and out it went! Thank. God. It just gets to a point where no matter how nervous you are about it happening, you just want the damned thing out of your mouth.

Now, my mother is the sweetest mother ever. Even though she is still using a crutch and has a leg brace, she watched my son for me so I could rest.

This is her holding Addison at his 2nd birthday party earlier this year. You can't really see her, but it's obvious he loves his Nana.

My not-tooth refused to clot for the longest time and so I just continued to bleed and drool. Whenever it would stop, I would quickly eat something so I could take my medicine before it started back again. When I would do the saltwater rinse the doc told me to do, the bleeding would start up all over again. I went to bed and slept maybe four hours due to the fact that I was drooling on myself so bad it woke me up. Isn't that gross? It is.

Today, though, I feel much better. The left half of my face resembles a chipmunk more than a Mommy, but it's not oozing blood anymore so I consider that a fair trade. My mother brought Addison back this morning on her way to her therapy for her leg and what, do you imagine, is the first thing he does?

Yep. Haven't even had him back for half an hour and he grants me such a marvelous gift. It just planted the notion even more firmly in my mind that stay-at-home mom's really don't get sick leave (unless you have an awesome mom like I do who helps you out as much as she can). I am in pain and extremely tired, but I can't just lay around on the couch all day like I want to. I still have to get up when Addison needs or wants something that he can't do himself. I still have to take care of him and play with him and watch him. It's rough.

I am better off than most, I think, because Addison is such a great kid. He's content to play with his cars or puzzles by himself for longer than I think the average two-year-old is and he is generally well-behaved.

I don't know what this post is about now. Ha! I was going to complain about my wisdom teeth, but when I stopped and really thought about it, there's not much to complain about. I have insurance and the ability to have my teeth fixed when I need to, wonderful family members who help me out as much as they can, a great child who doesn't nag me constantly for things when I feel like crap, a sympathetic child who understands that Mommy doesn't feel good and he needs to not yell and throw a tantrum, and a wonderful husband who goes to work five days a week so I can stay home with our boy every day.

It's kind of hard to feel really down about having a swollen cheek and an uncomfortable mouth when I've got so many awesome things in my life.

I hope you all have awesome things in your life, too, because...well...awesome things are awesome. (I'm going to go before I get really profound...)

-Mommy Michelle

Surely, You Can't Be Serious?

I've been a mom for two and a half years. To some, that's not very long. I am all too aware that there is much of being a parent I have yet to experience. There are many things I have not gone through, trials I have not yet had to endure. That, however, does not mean that I don't know what I'm doing or that I am a worse parent than those who have been parents of more children or for a longer period of time.

That having been said, I have recently discovered a huge pet peeve of mine.

Today, at the end of our weekly story-time at the library, the librarian was handing out stickers. Trying to get a bunch of toddlers to act orderly is very near impossible. I can understand and appreciate this. (I recently spent forty-five hours in a preschool classroom so I know first-hand how difficult it can be to get any sized group of children to do anything you want them to do.) The librarian was very calm and patient and told the children over and over that every single one was going to get a sticker so there was no need to crowd him. A lot of the children listened, mine being one of them. Addison just stepped back and was content to wait until there was an opening in the crowd of children so he could get his sticker. (He picked out a pink sticker with a rainbow on it. My kid is officially awesome.)

Other children were not so friendly.

One girl, who looked to be the oldest there, did not want to stand behind the other children and wait, especially once her little sister had already gotten hers. After huffing and puffing for a minute, she proceeded to shove my son out of her way. He stumbled and fell into another child. She didn't just do this once. She pushed and shoved her way to the front of the group to get her sticker. Do you know what her mother did? Absolutely nothing.

This isn't the first time I've been witness to a grossly inattentive, or even worse, a willfully ignorant parent. I understand that you can't watch your children every second. I understand that sometimes they do things you aren't aware of. I also understand that some parents view their children through rose-colored glasses and think they can do no wrong even if they are the most spoiled and bratty children on the planet. These are the people you want to shake until they see the error of their ways. That is, regrettably, labeled assault and will land you in jail. The law doesn't really justify violence, even if it is for the person's own good. Maybe one day.

Totally off topic. Anyway...

There was a day I took Addison to the park near our apartment. It is in a beautiful and quiet neighborhood and it is never packed full or over-run with loud, noisy children. It's perfect. However, on this day, there was a girl who followed Addison around and told him, "You can't play with that. It's mine!" every time he touched something. Do you know what her mother did? Absolutely nothing. I actually approached the mother when this behavior continued for several minutes without her interfering at all. She was sitting on a bench, her nose in her cell phone, without a care in the world as to what her daughter may or may not be doing. So I said, "Excuse me, Ma'am, but your daughter is telling my son he can't play with anything on the playground because everything is hers. I've tried to tell her that the playground is for everyone to share but she continues to be a little bit rude to my son." Without even looking up at me the mother said, "I'm sorry."

Really? Is that all you can say? You can't discipline your child or try to teach her anything at all, even at the expense of someone else's child? You must be parent of the year!

Sometimes kids suck. They don't do what you tell them to do and when you don't let them continue their upsetting behavior, they throw huge fits and get really mad. You know what? It happens. It's an unfortunate part of being a parent, but it is a HUGE part. We are here to teach children how to behave, how to survive in this world. Fundamental things such as sharing, communicating, listening, expressing themselves are all things we need to help them figure out. It can be hard. It can be really, really hard. It is not impossible.

So, it really just gets under my skin when I see a child who is behaving in a not-so-nice manner (especially to my kid) and then see their parent doing absolutely nothing about it. The repercussions of not-parenting reach so far into the future of that child that it's almost unbelievable.

And I know it is so hard to find that perfect balance between teaching your children what you want them to know and letting them figure things out on their own. They need both, but they need both in moderation; every single circumstance requires a different reaction from the parent.

Some people just aren't cut out to do it. Unfortunately, they don't know that until they've already reproduced. By then, it's too late.

-Mommy Michelle

P.S. - I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.