As I tune into NBC each night to check out the medal standings, I can’t help but think of the training that goes into these amazing athletes. The blood, sweat, tears and even more, the sacrifice that each of these talents make, not to mention the sacrifice of their family and friends. This got me thinking about an entirely different group of heroic people ~ Moms & Dads.
For me, personally, I grew up with the absolute best role model of a mother. My mom was kind to a fault, generous to all, wonderful at making homemade play dough and birthday cakes, compassionate in the face of tantrums, and patient to a degree only known to few. I was also constantly surrounded by grandmothers who possessed equally amazing qualities. This brought me up to assume one thing… Being a mom must be EASY and FUN.
Was I done a disservice by thinking this? Perhaps. Was I blind sighted upon realizing that being a mom WASN’T always easy (or better stated, EVER easy)? YES. Was I absolutely in awe that being a mom WASN’T always (dare I even say it??)…. Fun? Yes. There, I said it. Being a mom isn’t always fun. While I allow lightening to strike down on me for uttering this phrase aloud, I will repeat it. BEING A MOM IS NOT ALWAYS FUN.
It is worth it, it is rewarding, it brings me moments of joy that I never knew possible, but it is NOT, I repeat NOT always fun.
This brings me to a random and bizarre thought…. What if parenting, in and of itself, were an Olympic event? Events like “The Clean Plate Dash,” “The Potty Bowl Shot-Put” (boys only), “The Bedtime Battle.” I know I’d sure tune in to watch!! Can you imagine the scoring? The disqualifications? The penalty marks? Parenting is certainly an event and it definitely takes athleticism to keep up with these little buggers! Sadly, I don’t know a single event off the top of my head, that my little team could take Gold in 🙁
Seriously folks, as we tune into the 2 week spectacle that is the Olympics, let’s not forget the 52 week long event called parenting. If Parenting were an Olympic event, I already know who I would award the medals to….
In the Olympic event of heroic parents, I would award a bronze medal to all those households where children outnumber the adults. For example, if you have two adults living in your house and you have two three children, you qualify. Sure, three may be low on certain standards. It certainly wouldn’t be considered an impressive quantity to those moms of five or more children. That said, once you lose man-to-man defense, I think it warrants recognition.
Sliding into silver metal status would be young parents. Whether you planned to have a baby or not, God bless you. Let me loosely define “young parents” quick. I would consider this to be anyone under the age of 25. Let me be the first to say I recognize that there are 20-year-olds who could easily be a better mom than me. I absolutely know that some people socially (and maternally) mature at different ages, but for me personally, it has only been within the last year of life that I’ve truly felt comfortable making parenting choices regardless of judgement. Note: I have been making such choices for the past five years, so it’s not that I am not capable, but listen to the semantics of what I am saying: I am talking about honest-to-goodness, true, genuine confidence as a mom. Even now, in my newly confident state of mind that came with experience, it waivers. Daily.
Gold place goes to all of the single parents out there… Those courageous, heroic single moms and dads doing this parenting thing solo. I tip my hat to you and consider myself an ultimate failure all at the same time. With supreme confidence, I can say that I could NOT manage life’s many ups and downs as a parent without the support of my co-hort, my husband.
Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form trying to take away from the tenacity, endurance, sacrifice or God-given talent of the amazing men and women representing their country in the Olympics. I am simply trying to point out the humor in parenting being considered a spectator sport. NBC…. Call me 🙂
