Parenting

Un-perfect Mom but not unfit… I have never been ordinary, regular, or the same as everyone else. And I was ALWAYS proud of that!! To me, perfection is BORING! And that is most definitely not who or what I want to be.

So what do you do with grandparents, friends, or other family members who mean well but might step on your tender, new parent toes? Here are some tips for setting boundaries with family members after having a new baby. 

I am going to age myself here, but I feel compelled to share another memory. When I was a kid, eight or nine years old, I was in a bowling league (at a second-hand-smoke-wafting bowling alley that now serves as a parking lot for a home improvement store) on the west side of Green Bay.

While we knew having another baby was a blessing, we could not deny the feeling of being overwhelmed… Grateful and overwhelmed all at the same time.

I realize I am in the thick of it, and most people would understand if I did not shower, cook, walk, eat, or do anything besides care for these tiny humans.

I’m always looking for something different & fun to do with my little guy, who is 12 months (adjusted).  When I spotted some summer sensory play ideas online, I KNEW we would have to try a “Jello dig.”

If you took a survey of all the people who have met me, I would like to think the majority of them would say that I am a “COOL” person. And if you ask me…Well, I think I am a VERY cool person!

As she rattled off a plethora of tasks her daughters can carry out, I realized that I could really be doing so much more on the topic of appropriate chores for a preschooler.

Never did I predict that on my son’s first birthday, he would give the party guests a sneak peek into his noticeably higher levels of sensitivity.

I’ve considered the impression it would make on her as a young girl as all of this was happening. I recognized that if she could come along and witness the hard work, the conversations, and even see the things mom and her friends had built, she would be encouraged to follow her dreams and do what she loves as well.