A Mommy Story

Somedays, I just want to scoop up all of my readers and give them a big hug. Last week I had my mini-breakdown, wondering how I could possibly keep up the crazy schedule I’m living right now. I really appreciated all of your comments, and it felt good to know I’m not alone. In the middle of all of those comments, there was also a little offer for finding a solution.

Devra from Parentopia.net left comment on that post offering her help. You may or may not know Devra and Aviva, co-authors of the book Mommy Guilt. (Side note: I met Devra at BlogHer 06 and she is probably one of the most upbeat, funny and friendly women I have ever met. She’s tough to keep up with at a party!) This type of problem is one they love to tackle.

I read her comment and thought it over for a few days before e-mailing her to take her up on her offer of assistance. I sometimes have trouble admitting I need help and that maybe I can’t do it all. So once I saw the offer, I wondered if I had opened myself up too much, and revealed myself as the flawed, scared, frustrated mother that I am. Then I realized I was being silly – after all, I’ve never said I’m perfect. Since day 1, my parenting of Cordy has been a haphazard by-the-seat-of-my-pants style. That’s part of the reason I started blogging – most of my friends have no kids, and wanted to find a community of people to share advice with, and to commiserate with in this crazy ride we call parenting.

Blogging is the best open forum a person can ask for. For me, it’s like having a personal diary with a multiple personality disorder – I can write out my private thoughts, and different “voices” then take over and give me advice, criticize me, laugh with me, or just say hello and offer me free Playboy. (Yay, spammers.) Of course, now I can put faces to many of those voices after BlogHer, but the comparison still fits, I think.

In the first section of their book, Devra and Aviva address the Seven Principles of the Mommy Guilt-Free Philosophy. This week, they will be using my real-life situation to talk about the first principle: You must be willing to let some things go. I can see how I’m a good candidate for this one.

But here’s where this becomes interesting for you, too. Certainly I’m not the only one out there up to my eyeballs in mommy guilt, and struggling to balance my life, right? Devra thought it would be interesting to have other bloggers work with them for the other six principles, so that in all, seven moms get some expert help.

(Note: I’m hoping some of you will volunteer. I initially thought of tagging others, but then I thought that might be interpreted as me saying, “Hey, I think you need parenting help, you lousy mom.” Which, of course, is not what I would think at all.)

So, anyone in this with me? The first principle will be up on Parentopia later this week, with other principles to follow in later weeks, or as often as Devra and Aviva have time.