In 3 of the 4 states we have lived in, I have received a comment similar to the following:
Aren't you just the perfect little family?
I'm pretty sure that at least one of those times it was said as much of a jab as anything. It makes me wonder. What is it that makes us look "perfect"?
I think I might have at least a partial answer. We see most of our ward members only on Sundays. To me, going to church isn't a casual affair. I love getting ready for church on Saturday nights. When I (and consequently my children) go to church, we dress in our "Sunday Best". Therefore, we look "perfect".
If these same people saw how we looked the rest of the week, they might not think we are the "perfect family". I allow my children to wear basically anything they want. I honestly don't care if they match or not, and I really don't care if they freeze when I've told them it is going to be 45 degrees and they wear shorts.
And if they were a fly on the wall yesterday afternoon, I know they wouldn't think we were perfect.
Last night when I was at Boo's choir concert, I looked around at the other children. I wondered if any of them had been in a full melt down mode within the last 30 minutes. And I knew that no one would suspect that from Boo.
If you would have seen me last night, you probably wouldn't have known that I had been trying to get my 10 year old to practice 30 minutes and it took over 2 hours to accomplish it. That was a horrible 2 hours. In fact, it is in contention for the worst 2 hours of that 10 year old's life...and probably in contention for the worst 2 hours of my life as well. She has a way of spreading a bad mood.
And, you probably wouldn't have known that my 5 year old had a major melt down. I had to send him to his room. He fell asleep. But when I woke him up (so he would sleep last night), he continued right on with his melt down. BTW, I was not going to Walmart!!
And you probably wouldn't have known that my 8 year old child who almost never puts up a fuss for anything, put up a fuss about going to his sister's choir concert before eating dinner. A big fuss- for him (although a very minor one compared to his siblings.)
And you probably wouldn't have known that my 8 month old had been whining all day. She got 2 new teeth in the past few days and is getting two more in soon. She doesn't sleep. She doesn't eat well. She cries a lot. She is miserable.
Things aren't always as they seem.
6 years ago
7 comments:
Thanks for the reality check. Your family does look perfect - glad to know you have bad days like the rest of us. Makes me feel like less of a failure as a mother when everyone ends up crying before we make it out the door to the library!
So glad to know my children aren't the only ones with issues...this post helped me to feel a little bit better about my mothering skills.
Inside the family is interesting, huh?
My sister asked me once how everyone else has it all put together. I told her they didn't, some people just know how to fake it better.
I was rolling reading this! Aren't kids the perfect way to humble us? I like the "faking it better" connotation. BTW, don't feel too bad. My 2-yr old woke up a little bit ago and had a major melt down because I wouldn't take him to Walmart. What the heck???
I am right there with you!!! I don't think my family looks perfect, but we are a mess and I do try to have us look "perfect" at church. I do have to say, I was thinking this morning how beautiful your children are!! Not just cute, but beautiful! I do ealize that in teh middle of a two hour temper tantrum, the beautiful does go away!!
Oh man, I am so sorry for that day. I though I was having a week, but I guess the award goes to you. Good luck with the rest of the week.
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