Real Parents- A View From The Trench

My cousin Hootie sent me an e-mail yesterday that described “Real Mothers” The list was accurate but far from complete..And it’s not just Mothers out there any more..In all fairness, I know plenty of Dad’s (OK….that was generous…a few Dad’s)  trying to be “Real” too.

Real Parents have had at least one expensive outfit ruined by baby formula or breast milk. Real Parents know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox. Real Parents often have sticky floors and filthy ovens. Real Parents know that dried play dough doesn’t come out of carpets. Real Parents don’t want to know what the vacuum just sucked up. Real Parents have had to try to figure out how to get gum unstuck from every surface…including   heads before resorting to scissors. Real Parents have had unknown substances under their fingernails. Real Parents attempt to help kids with their homework even though we don’t remember Algebra or how to diagram sentences..(really…stop with the parts of speech already….) Real Parents do the driving because kids in the backseat forget you’re there. Through these overheard conversations you begin to see what their lives are really like. Real Parents rent a kids DVD when what we’d really like to see on a weekend is the newest blockbuster. Real Parents let kids lick the cake mix spoons and eat raw cookie dough.

This list can be endless…but, I’ll spare you..Tell me…what does a Real Parent do at your house?