The following is an exaggeration. It is meant only to dramatize the problem of what I’ll call Mommy Comparison. Stay tuned for another post to follow that goes a little deeper, taking us into the heart of why we compare ourselves, the dangers of it, and some steps of resolution.
Admit it! I’ve got something you don’t have. I’ve got something you want. I am a stay-at-home mommy. I home school, cook dinner 6 days a week, make my own household cleaners, and still have time to write once a week on this blog. I have 4 of the most beautiful children you’ve ever seen. They are polite and obedient. They are rambunctious and fun-loving. They smile all the time. They are smart and talented. I have a marriage made in heaven. To top it all off, I’m a pastor’s wife, so that makes me a goody-two-shoes. How do I get it all done? I must be Supermom:).
Have I left anything out? Probably.
What you don’t know is that you’ve got something I want. Something I need. You can decorate your house without thinking about it, without agonizing over every single item that you expertly hang on the wall. You are such an expert housekeeper that there is no such thing as Cleaning Day at your house–it just comes naturally to you. Your desk is organized and uncluttered. There are no unsightly stacks of papers and toys there. The members of your household rise up and call you blessed because they never run out of clean underwear. You have scrapbooks of each of your children neatly organized on your living room bookshelf. You spend lots of time outdoors playing games with your family. You exercise 6 days a week and eat well-balanced meals. You lost your “baby fat” within 6 months after your last baby was born. Your firstborn walked at 10 months, potty-trained at 18 months, and learned to read at at the age of 3. Need I go on?
Forgive me that dramatic outburst. I only meant to illustrate the ridiculous thoughts we sometimes think about each other. I’ve been thinking about this topic, Mommy Comparison, for over a month. I’ve been thinking about it so much that I can’t seem to move on to anything else here at New Mommy Help. Look for the next installment later this week.
What about you? Do you suffer from Mommy Comparison too? How does it affect you?
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Stacie, Lately my mommy comparison has been about blogging, as I’m struggling to figure out if this is really what I want to do with my free time. I’ve been saying things like: “How does she post every day? God, she seems so organized. She must wake up at the crack of dawn. How does she have all those great ideas? And find time to sew!!”
.-= turnitupmom´s last blog ..My Graham Cracker Girl =-.