Good Mom Vs. Bad Mom

I'm not sure if most mothers do this, but I often evaluate my parenting.  Most of my actions as a mother I put into one of two categories- good mom or bad mom. I think I'm a fairly honest self-evaluator. My hope is that the good mom far outweighs the bad mom tally.  At the end of the day I suppose my real judge will be how my children viewed their childhood and upbringing.  But, here's what I have so far...

Bad Mom- In the early morning (8:30) encouraging Harrison to turn on cartoons for him and his two-year old brother, and being perfectly okay allowing them to attempt their own breakfast--all in the name of twenty more minutes of sleep.

                                                                          
Good Mom- Seeking out the local story time at the library and even joining in for a resounding rendition of 'head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes'

                                                                         

Bad Mom- Locking myself in the bathroom to finish a phone conversation.  Odds are likely the conversation isn't more important than leaving my kids unsupervised.


Good Mom- Taking my kids to a children's art studio to pull out what little creative juice I have to help them paint plates that, hopefully, will last for many years.  From the mess to the challenge of creating something artistic, the entire event leaves me tapped.  But, I do it.  I do it for them and I hope one day they appreciate it.

                                                                                  

                                                                                 
Bad Mom- I have been known to stick pages together when reading books to my kids.  Thomas the Train books are entirely too long and way too wordy.  A fifteen minute read can be shaved down to a more manageable five minutes, and, really, we still get the gist of the story.  Can't believe I'm admitting this one.  I feel really bad when I do this.  But, I know my days are numbered, once Harrison learns to read he'll realize entire paragraphs are being skipped.
                                                 
                                                                

Good Mom- I feel like a great Mom, the best Mom, when I take my kids outside to play.  Honestly, this is something I've really had to learn to enjoy.  But, fantastic things have been discovered during our outside play.  Rock-climbing-wall contests, learning to ride a two-wheeler, tether-ball games, and me learning to throw a football.  Who knew?  I really like it and I'm not half bad.

 

                                                                            

Bad Mom- Probably about once a week I dress my boys for bed in what they're going to wear the next day.  As noted from the first 'bad mom,' I really don't like mornings.  Anything I can do to streamline or to gain the almighty extra few minutes of sleep, I do.  I do want to insert an asterisk here and point out that I do make sure it's cotton-y, stretchy clothes (but I have to make sure they don't wrinkle so no one suspects anything the next day. A bit of a challenge, really!).  I don't make them sleep in  jeans and a button-up shirt.  That would be on the bad, really bad mom list.  

                                                               
Good Mom- Helping my children explore and learn.  I do enjoy engaging them and love seeing them learn new things.  This is one of the best things about being a parent: watching the excitement in your child's face as they learn something new.  We have memberships to the zoo and the children's museum and I'm proud to say we use them often!

Bad Mom- I have been known, on occasion, to yell at levels audible to people walking by outside.  Not my finest moments as a mother by any stretch.  But, sometimes, a guttural scream makes me feel so much better.  Okay, so now I can officially take credit for Harrison's outrage towards his bike. Someone once told me the best way to parent is to let your kids think that you're just (kinda) a little crazy.  If you're always even tempered they'll never fear that 'crazy mom' rearing her ugly head.  My kids definitely have a healthy fear of that woman.

Good Mom- I have to end on a good mom note, as I do think most of the time I am a good mom. I write this as I'm looking at that frightening picture of me.  I am a good mom, really!  So the last thing I do that makes me feel good about my parenting is exposing my kids to a variety of foods.  I make sure they eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily.  We talk about the food they eat and how it benefits their bodies.  'Carrots have vitamin A, good for your eyes!' Harrison tells me, and the chicken?  "It has protein and will make me strong like The Hulk!!"