In my mailbox yesterday was evidence of the “perfect mom.” I received a beautiful card announcing that my friend had moved to a new home. Expensive shimmery cardstock, elegant font carefully designed, bright beautiful colors and photos of their three girls in handmade dresses perfectly ironed with their hair looking beautiful and coordinated with matching bows.
Did I mention the mom makes the cards on her computer, sews the dresses AND makes the matching hair bows and headbands?
I am not that mom!
My kids barely get out the door on time. Hair is partially brushed most of the time (amidst screams of what a bad brusher I am!) and clothing is a free for all. I don’t sew. I iron only in a truly desperate situation, and I have been known to delegate button replacing to my mom! If she isn’t around, a safety pin will do, or we just don’t wear the item for a long time.
My girls have a few matching outfits (we buy dresses that don’t need ironing), but they only appear in them maybe once a year. Daily dressing at our house is fashion mayhem.
Since my oldest was in preschool, she has had strong opinions about what goes together and what does not! She actually has a very creative edge; so I just let her mix and match any which way. The youngest follows suit and layers on rings, bracelets and necklaces every day (she’s in kindergarten!).
Hair accessories provide another daily circus. I know we have matching sets of hair bows and hair clips somewhere, I remember buying them in sets of two. The reality? They are worn, put in a different spot, transferred to a baby doll, pushed under the sofa and never reappear in a matching set again.
Reality check: we all know there is no perfect mom, dad or perfect parent. We all do our best, and we all have our skills! Even my friend with the gorgeous card (that is too pretty to put in the recycle bin BTW) has mom moments where things just go right. But, I will admit, I would love to know how she keeps track of those hair bows!
