Today is Wordful Wednesday linky day so who better to have as a “Dumb Mom” guest than the CREATOR of that fabulous meme herself, Angie, from Seven Clown Circus?! No, one, that’s who!
Growing up, I knew it all.
Even when I didn’t, I really did. At least, that’s all I would admit to. You know, knowing it all.
This all encompassing knowledge of mine lasted until about the moment when my first child was placed on my stomach and I didn’t know what to do. I remember the thoughts running though my mind going something like this: “Do pick her up? No. The nurse will CLEAN her first, right? Wait. WHY isn’t the nurse cleaning her? AM I SUPPOSED to pick her up? What am I supposed to do with her once I pick her up? Do I clean her up?” Where were the instructions and why didn’t anyone tell me about this moment?
Motherhood has been a series of moments just like this, and despite having 5 children, that knowledge I had as a child has not returned. I don’t know everything, my children still surprise me, and I’m continually amazed at how being a mom can make me feel so EMOTIONAL.
Proud and happy, dumb and smart, heartbroken and unbearably happy, entertained and irritated, embarrassed and pleased.
This season I have 3 boys in baseball. It’s pretty much kicked my butt. At the beginning of the season I counted up the number of practices and games the boys had and almost hyperventilated. I’m THAT mom that despite being told numerous times that baseball had longer games and more practices than soccer didn’t listen. I’m that mom that watched every practice and almost every game and wondered why the rules kept changing (they change the rules mid season, you know). I’m that mom that couldn’t understand why her son didn’t bother running to first base after hitting the ball, told herself mentally “thank goodness he’s not your first or you’d really have had a fit”, but was still inwardly embarrassed. I should say I WAS that mom. Because I still haven’t grown up in some ways and still want all of my kids to be the star players and the smartest and most popular. Clearly, when my son walked to first base for no apparent reason I felt like the other parents were looking at me like, “what’s the deal with your kid?”
After the game I asked him why he walked to first base and he replied, “why should I run? They never tag us out anyway!” Suddenly I felt like the dumbest mom around for feeling embarrassed that my son walked to first base. Suddenly I felt proud that my son was smart enough at six to figure out that there was no need to run to first base if he wasn’t going to get tagged out whether he ran or walked. This is the sort of thing that I haven’t gotten smart enough to learn in 12 years of parenting.
My kids teach me stuff every day, and make me feel all kinds of emotions. And you know what? I’m glad I don’t know everything. Because then I wouldn’t feel this.
What do you have to be Wordful about this week?!
Link up with me and Angie and share your special, wordful, photo moments!
And don’t forget to take a peek at this week’s features before you go…
- Beautiful AND cancer free at Lost and Forgotten.
- Hitting her Stride at Bungalow 56.
- Scrub a dub-dubbing with Grumpy Sleepy and Bashful.
- Hitting the late night, date night scene with The Daily Wyatt.
My kids make me proud all the time..especially when they out smart me or figure something out! Like when they know they can make me laugh!
You’ve got a smarty there!
I’m pretty sure he’s smarter than I was at 6. :)
Such a sweet and light-hearted post. I definitely felt the same way. I don’t always understand the rules so I’ve adopted the fake-it-til-you-make-it mentality. :)
I do a lot of faking…:)
How cute! I love the kid-mentality. Wish I could be more relaxed like that sometimes.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to just do what you feel like and not worry about anyone else?
Kids are so dang smart! Three in baseball is almost as bad as two in football and one in gymnastics. It kicks my butt every single year!
I can only imagine your schedule….
can you imagine if we really DID know it all? How boring would that be?
So much better to learn it as we go along with them. Makes the ride that much more interesting :)
You are right….like would be a whole lot less interesting….:)
My son has not started sports yet, but he wants to play football. So I’m sure I will have some learning moments when he starts.
GOOD LUCK! {wink}
How did they get so smart? Why run when I can walk? So simple…. so profound : )
A big thank you for the shout out! I love this meme! Thanks for creating it.
Dana
And we LOVE you participating!
Angie, your son IS a flippin’ genius! I’d be walking too!! Love the post!
I know, right?
Oh, my gosh, I love this post! I feel the same way. All.the.time. I am with you and Kristi on the fake-it-till-you-make-it. It’s the only way I stay sane!
Your post reminds me of how bittersweet and deliciously sweet parenting is at the same time.
Simply loved it!
I simply adore this part of your comment: “Your post reminds me of how bittersweet and deliciously sweet parenting is at the same time.”
Ah, when the student becomes the teacher! LOL! ;-) I’m dumbstruck by the sense and wisdom of these kids sometimes!
I wonder why I never taught my parents anything???? :)
Absolutely love this post, Angie! I think what I enjoy the most about reverting from ‘know it all’ to ‘I know nothing’ is experiencing things through the eyes of my children – which only solidifies that I knew nothing when I thought I did. ;)
Amen.
Your kid is brilliant!
I feel like my kids will be grown up and have kids of their own and I will still be learning how not to be the world’s dumbest mom
This is EXACTLY how I feel.
Amen to not having to know everything as a mom!!! I love that feeling too. It makes me so proud my kid is so dang smart.
Thank goodness that in the feelings of inadequacy there are smart kids to show you you must be doing something right….:)
I know as parents we are supposed to be the teachers but it’s usually the kids that teach me too.
Funny how much one can learn from little pip squeaks, right? :)
A beautiful post!!
They sure do teach us so so SO much about things and life. So blessed to have these little beings that tear apart the house and eat all of our food and make us lose our patience and drink…wait that last part is inregards to me…or perhaps you…who knows. I don’t judge.
Wisdom comes in small packages Happy WW xo
Sounds like Cady. The biggest reward for the minimalist of effort. LOL Sounds good to me.
Funny how life does this to us. And yet as MOMS the world expects the world of us!
Oh you are so so right. I am definitely THAT mom that wants them to be the best but does her best to not show when she is embarrassed (ie when son was picking dandelions during soccer practice on Monday…) but is soooo proud when same son almost scores a goal (closer than any of the other 5 year olds!) You’re constantly learning and adapting, and I love it.
It’s amazing to me sometimes how genuinely logical our kids can be, figuring out something so simple that when they explain it to us has us smacking our heads like Oh, that makes sense.