GMTS Newsletter: Why loving back to school doesn't make you a bad mom

August 15, 2012

For six years, I’ve waited for this day. It’s the first day both my kids will be in all-day school.

And I admit it -- I'm thrilled.

I realize this isn't an opinion many mothers would want made public. It’s just not socially acceptable to experience sheer joy at the prospect of having a quiet, clutter-free house from the hours of 8 p.m. to 4 p.m.

But I'm OK with it.

Before you clutch the pearls and assume this makes me a bad mother, let me state my case.

I will most certainly miss my kids. But school is normal part of life, and given my circumstances over the past few months, I'm just fine with normal parts of life. I’m not sending them off serve in a war zone, nor am I packing them up to run away from home.

I’m preparing them to do what every child needs to do to become a decent member of society. I'm sending them to be cared for, taught and nurtured by professionals who know far more about child rearing than I ever will.

Besides, they’re with friends who understand the differences among the Rainbow Magic Fairies, who will laugh at their silly jokes, and who will entertain them far more easily and more frequently than I can.

To me, it’s about being the best possible parent for the most possible time. And for me to achieve that not-so-lofty plateau, I’ll be up front: I need a nap.

Admittedly, I have a weird schedule, and even with a nap, I average less than six hours of sleep a day/night. But with the nap, I’m better all the way around. More calm, more playful, more cheerful, more fun, more me. Without? It’s not pretty.

On those nap-free days, my mom filter is compromised. A lot more gets through: there’s a lot more yelling and a lot less patience.

So as much as I adore new school supplies, my excitement about them heading back to school means me heading back to bed.

But that’s not all -- I’ll have more time to run errands, go to the grocery, the gym, and unburden my poor DVR of the hours and hours of shows waiting to be watched.

I read an article  in Parents magazine this month that put into words what many parents feel. Heather Cabot (I remember watching her on ABC’s World News Now waaay long ago) wrote about how we should prepare for everyday parenthood the way athletes prepare for their events. An Olympic sprinter doesn’t just show up for the race, expecting to do well. There’s tons of hard work, practice and training that goes into it.

It’s the same way with parenthood. You can’t be expected to be that glowing-Facebook-status-worthy parent without some time to get yourself ready to deal with all that comes in the course of a regular day.

So I won’t apologize for wanting – no, needing – a little “me” time.

In fact, I hear my DVR and napping blanket calling.

If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some training to do.

From Today’s Show:

-Ryan back at Miami: Paul Ryan is speaking at Miami University tonight. He first stepped foot on campus as a college freshman, now he’s running for VP. CNN has these pictures – his Delta Tau Delta fraternity pictures from the 90s. I’m not sure why this is so interesting to me, since every nominee went to college, and many were in fraternities. I think it’s because of his apparent fondness for turtlenecks. It was the 90s, after all. Ryan will speak tonight  at 6 p.m., and of course, we’ll have it covered for you.

-Six Games: That’s the lead for the Reds in the NL Central, the biggest of the season. Oh, and Jay Bruce won last night’s game  with a game-winning three-run homer (I hate the phrase “walk-off.”) Plus, the team announced it’s averaging 29,000  fans per game – 2,000 more per game than last year. October is gonna be fun.

Distracting Link:

Ain’t nothing like the real thing …

http://www.sadtrombone.com/classic