Tuesday, September 22, 2009

My Child is NOT a Designer Handbag

Here's the deal . . . the number of play dates you schedule, the vast array of classes your kid attends, the brand name sewn in the back of his t-shirt, the "latest and greatest" toy you just purchased does not equal your ability, talent, or quality as a mother.

Playing dress up, rolling around on the floor, singing silly songs (that make absolutely no sense but would most certainly have Dr. Suess laughing and clapping while nodding his head in approval), putting together puzzles, jumping in the leaves, running around in the rain . . . makes them happy, makes them laugh, makes them smarter in ways we will never know . . . and it makes them look at you and say, "I love you, mom."

THAT should be enough.

But if you want to continue to brag about classes and playdates, designer clothes and the bajillion dollars you just spent at some toy boutique, be my guest. I'll be busy making mud pies.

I have no issues with classes and play dates . . . none at all. Big fan. But the "look at me and all I do as a mother" schtick gets old really, really quick. They are children, not a stinkin' Gucci bag.

OK. I'm done.

45 comments:

Karen said...

I agree wholeheartedly. Have fun in the mud.

Burgh Baby said...

And that is why I lurve you!

tiarastantrums said...

girlie - what has you all fired up! ( hee hee ) I shop at Target or Walmart for kids clothes, they never get invited to play dates and I'm way to (fricking) busy to host mostly b/c we are crafting or sewing or making mud pies all day (smiles)
love you - how is the new baby?

Amanda of Shamelessly Sassy said...

I know people like this. I makes me sick. Like Burgh said on twitter, if I brag about how much something cost, it is because I got on the super cheap. If my daughter wears a name brand, it was under $10 on last seasons sales rack and I bought it a size big.

OHmommy said...

My personal favorite is when kids go to mommy-and-me gym class to roll around in a full out designer outfit. Matching head to toe. And I notice that my toddler is wearing hand me downs AND has a hole in the crotch. Not that this happened to me yesterday. Im just saying.

Unknown said...

The play dates are for the kids? What? ;-)

I'm glad you got this off your chest. If my kids wear ANY.THING. designer it's because someone gave it to us or I found it for a REALLY good price at a garage sale or 2nd hand store!

Life As I Know It said...

well said!
and guess what? those kids won't remember the classes they took or the clothes they wore, but your kids WILL remember the mud pies and rolling around on the floor playing with mom.

April said...

LOVE this!

Quarantine Hobby said...

I love you, Laski. Seriously.

:)

Kori said...

A-to-the-Men! And I will actually take this a step further and say that I personally think the whole playdate/classes/whatever are simply an excuse to not have to actually, you know, PARENT. AND to show off to the world how good you think you are. But that's just me, right?

Unknown said...

Absolutely, right on the money. So to speak.

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

Are you serious?!

They are not a designer handbag?! Dang it all to hell! I've totally screwed up this parenting thing!

:-)

(I'm so glad I live in the Boonies where we ain't got none of those fancy classes, etc. We just put them on the tractor and say: "Now, don't you fall off there, ya' here, boy?")

Unknown said...

This is a fantastic post, and one that I wholeheartedly back up behind. I hear about more and more people choosing to have children specifically because it is the trend, and makes a great accessory to make the "Mother" look put together as a complete entity.
I love mud pies. And play acting "Where the wild things Are" with my kids using my couch as a boat. It's the best.

Kamis Khlopchyk said...

Amen.

I don't buy designer for myself, why would I buy it for the kids who make mud pies?

You are a great mommy and your actions speak much louder than those types of braggarty words.

Anonymous said...

You know exactly how I feel about this, about you, about both of us as mothers.

Love you, hon.

Michelle said...

I do love me my mud pies. I have to say that I also do classes and stuff (or at least I did before DD was in school). We splashed in puddles and did other stuff too, but I really found that the classes helped me to structure my day. I work better with a plan in place and the storytime at the library, the class at the botanical gardens as well as others really helped with that.
I do agree with your sentiment though. Kids aren't accessories. I hate seeing the little ones who aren't allowed to crawl around or get dirty because they might mess up an outfit.
Ugh.

Kat said...

Amen sista!

Flea said...

I tend to steer clear of the Gucci moms. They freak me out just a little. I instructed my kids, when they were little, to take their bug and spider finds in their direction. Works every time.

painted maypole said...

you hear me clapping?

Jaina said...

Standing ovation here!

Analisa said...

Love this.

Sage Ravenwood said...

I loved this! I was once ostracized by a well to do mother, because I had forgotten an umbrella and my daughter and I were walking home from school in the rain.

I'll admit we we're sopping wet when she pulled over and shrieked at us from her station wagon. I saw the faces of her kids pressed against the window.

I told her my child will get to splash in the puddles, slide down the wet grassy slopes on the way home. When I got her home a warm cup of hot chocolate and a bath would ward off any cold.

Before turning away I asked the woman, do your kids have any fond memories of doing that? (Hugs)Indigo

Lori said...

heehee! Great vent!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Ooooh!!! Who ticked you off?!? :)

Corey~living and loving said...

you just MADE MY DAY!!!!!

thanks!

Anonymous said...

You bake pies? ;-)

Tara R. said...

*applause* amen sista friend!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

You're gonna really love those moms around college application time.

Kim said...

Mud pies win all the time.

Sue said...

Kim shared this on Google Reader and I just HAD to come over her and say "Right on!"

People say that friendship changes when you both have kids, but I never thought my friend would end up like the kind of mother you describe here (the bragger) and make me feel less than adequate for being a mud pie mom.

Mud Pie Moms RULE!

Anonymous said...

Amen sista!

Karen MEG said...

Hah, and bravo!!

I remember the first time I saw Burberry on a baby, I was like, "Oh my, how cute" for about a millisecond and then I was like "Oh I hope she gets poop on it real quick, because that's freakin' Burberry and that's just crazy!!" I'm so nice, but if they can afford Burberry, I'm sure they don't do their own laundry either. Meow.

Glad to see you're enjoying your babytime :).

JennyMac said...

They're not? Ive been duped.

Love this post.

Woman in a Window said...

I'm so glad I live in the sticks. No designer anything up here. Just a whole lot of mud!

just jamie said...

Oooooh... I think I love you.

Kristen said...

I am going to give you a huge high five and say AMEN sister!!!

Couldn't agree more, and if I didn't already adore you to the max, just just moved up the list in my book! :)

Aracely said...

So now would be a bad time to mention we just started Gymboree and that while he's in class I'm scouring the mall for shiny new things ;-)

KG said...

Dude! Who pissed you off?

Mommy X said...

Ain't that the truth, girl! I hate those mothers. Ok, maybe I don't hate them....that's kinda strong. But I just think maybe those chicks are insecure.

abby_p said...

Woman, you READ my mind!

nikki said...

I thrift store shop. I didn't even know there were designer label kids clothes.

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

I've had to shop around for playgroups in the past because the ones you speak of were WAY too prevalent.

KEEP BELIEVING

KATE said...

Amen sista!! Well said, I couldn't agree more!! ;)

Anonymous said...

Wow! I love it!! You just wrote what I think everytime I see lots of mothers around my area pushing their peg perego's and getting mad because their baby just spit up on their new gap outfit! Totally ridiculous to be that way!!

Anonymous said...

Amen! Well said.

-FringeGirl

Photo of the Week

Photo of the Week
Two Peas
Creative Commons License

  © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP