What is a Reality Mom?
June 11th 2009 16:20
I love the phrase "Reality Mom". Like "Reality TV", the phrase implies that we are going to be witness to LIFE in black and white, no shades of gray to hide the ugly truth. Yea right. Does anyone REALLY believe that those people on the television aren't aware of the camera EVERY SINGLE MINUTE? Sure. And those same folks are not being coached by some network toady off camera encouraging them to pander to the desire of the public to feed off of the drama and misfortune of others.
That's not what a Reality Mom is anyway. At least not to my understanding.
A "Reality Mom" is the exact opposite of what you see on any televised event when the subject is aware of the camera.
Reality Mom does not appear at breakfast made up and dressed to the nines, prepared to feed her brood. Her children know that they are NOT going to get chocolate chip pancakes with little sausage links on a weekday unless Grandma happens to be there. The children of Reality Mom get a breakfast but it might be a Pop Tart and juice. (Hey! The Federal GOVERNMENT says that it is ok to eat Pop Tarts juice for breakfast...it must be all right.)
Not that she doesn't care about the nutrition of her children, she does. The Reality of the situation is that she most likely has to get up, dress herself, at least one of her children, feed them and then get everyone off to school/daycare/ work. There isn't time for things like chocolate chip pancakes during the week.
During the week, she rushes out the door, applies her make up during the commute to school while helping a second grader with his spelling words.
She pulls her hair out of hot rollers as she parks at the office and finishes her grooming in the vanity mirror of her car.
Reality Mom might have sterilized everything in the house when her eldest was born but with each new arrival, she realizes that it is all right to relax a bit. So long as the children are fed and healthy a little dirt never hurt anyone.
(Note: This does not include dirty hands, there are standards!) So while the oldest might walk around with liquid hand sanitizer in her pocket, the youngest cheerily announces "Five second rule!" when he drops his chewed gum.
Reality mom is never frustrated by the news that she has been volunteered to bake 4 dozen cupcakes for the PTA bake sale TOMORROW MORNING ---that's why her children have a Grandmother.
Sometimes, Reality mom wishes she could run away and leave no forwarding address. This is especially true when it is 8:30 at night and after rising at 6:00 am, working 8 hours, rushing children to practice after work, coming home to face a pile of laundry and cooking dinner, she FINALLY gets to sit down to dinner with her husband, Clueless Dad, and he says,
"So what did you do today Dear?"
Reality Mom doesn't run away because she knows that these days aren't going to last forever. One day there will be no finger smudges on the windows of her car. She will get to sleep as late as she likes without a little hand patting her cheek and calling to her.
Someday, sooner than she realizes, her children will be gone. And if she has done her job well, their leaving will only be bittersweet for her.
That's not what a Reality Mom is anyway. At least not to my understanding.
A "Reality Mom" is the exact opposite of what you see on any televised event when the subject is aware of the camera.
Reality Mom does not appear at breakfast made up and dressed to the nines, prepared to feed her brood. Her children know that they are NOT going to get chocolate chip pancakes with little sausage links on a weekday unless Grandma happens to be there. The children of Reality Mom get a breakfast but it might be a Pop Tart and juice. (Hey! The Federal GOVERNMENT says that it is ok to eat Pop Tarts juice for breakfast...it must be all right.)
Not that she doesn't care about the nutrition of her children, she does. The Reality of the situation is that she most likely has to get up, dress herself, at least one of her children, feed them and then get everyone off to school/daycare/ work. There isn't time for things like chocolate chip pancakes during the week.
During the week, she rushes out the door, applies her make up during the commute to school while helping a second grader with his spelling words.
She pulls her hair out of hot rollers as she parks at the office and finishes her grooming in the vanity mirror of her car.
Reality Mom might have sterilized everything in the house when her eldest was born but with each new arrival, she realizes that it is all right to relax a bit. So long as the children are fed and healthy a little dirt never hurt anyone.
(Note: This does not include dirty hands, there are standards!) So while the oldest might walk around with liquid hand sanitizer in her pocket, the youngest cheerily announces "Five second rule!" when he drops his chewed gum.
Reality mom is never frustrated by the news that she has been volunteered to bake 4 dozen cupcakes for the PTA bake sale TOMORROW MORNING ---that's why her children have a Grandmother.
Sometimes, Reality mom wishes she could run away and leave no forwarding address. This is especially true when it is 8:30 at night and after rising at 6:00 am, working 8 hours, rushing children to practice after work, coming home to face a pile of laundry and cooking dinner, she FINALLY gets to sit down to dinner with her husband, Clueless Dad, and he says,
"So what did you do today Dear?"
Reality Mom doesn't run away because she knows that these days aren't going to last forever. One day there will be no finger smudges on the windows of her car. She will get to sleep as late as she likes without a little hand patting her cheek and calling to her.
Someday, sooner than she realizes, her children will be gone. And if she has done her job well, their leaving will only be bittersweet for her.
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