I think once you become a mom, you see a little bit more what weirdos women are. My first experience with this was seeing some of the hyperactive working-moms of Marin county. I saw more of this when I moved to Corvallis and took a "Live and Learn with Your Baby" class. All of the moms were great and super-sweet but some of them were intense. I honestly think some of them spent their entire days cooking crazy-organic meals for their kids with 95 of the 26 nutrients you're supposed to have in a day (to you nutritionists out there, I just made that up), making their clothes, knitting them hemp diapers, creating their own cleaning supplies, planting their own gardens, feeding their own chickens, etc. I mean, I think it's cool but some of these women had been professionals before they had babies and then once they had babies, they took all that intensity from the corporate world and applied it to the 8 lb. bundle of joy rolling around in its crib with slobber bubbling from the corners of its mouth. Poor kids. Never even saw it coming.
None of the moms would ever say it, but you got the sense that if you bought your baby clothes that were made in China or if you used disposable diapers, you were kind of a bad mom.
Just now, haha, as I was doing some research on cloth diapers...yes, I'm becoming one of those moms! I was looking at a blog where different women/moms are contributors and they're all talking about cloth diapers like they eat, sleep and breathe the stuff...or maybe they're eating, sleeping and breathing the detergent they use to wash the diapers. A part of me wants to be like, "Come on, women! Get some lives!" Aren't I so mean? Anyway, and they're saying things like, "Sometimes, when my baby's diaper rash is so bad...we have to....use disposable diapers. I know. I know. I can't even believe I'm saying that."
Or one mom was writing about what she uses to wash her cloth diapers with. She said that Tide detergent isn't even allowed in her house b/c of all of the chemicals in it but that she broke down and finally bought some. She gave all of these disclaimers and pleaded that her readers not judge her.
What is this?
Why are we so obsessed with what others think?
Why are we so into our image?
Why are we always wanting to impress each other?
I know I'm guilty of it. I know I am. Even though I act like those women are crazy. Ok, they are a little crazy. I pray to the good Lord I'll never be that intense. But all the same, I know I am that way to an extent. Anyway, I just think it's dumb how us women make everything into a passive aggressive competition. I truly pray that I not be a woman who judges other women for their decisions. But even this blog post makes me guilty. I'm judging the crazies!!
11 comments:
In China they make their kids wear clothes with no crotches (or at least they used to) so they just "go" when they gotta "go". MY PEOPLE! Now that's organic. Great post!
You crack me up :) Caleb wore disposable diapers over the weekend cause I just did not feel like washing the cloth ones, and I have no regret. HAHA
Wow. Makes me want to write a blog post about all the BAD things I do every day as a mom...Lord knows I have a list. Those women would HATE me:):) We women are a crazy bunch.
Good post.
Great post Liz. It is so easy to get caught up into being "super mom". I'm guilty of it. I do however let my children wear underwear made in China, and proud of it :)
I think it's ok to judge the super judgmental. they've earned it :)
I think we all want to look like we've got our stuff together, no matter what it is...
I feel like to be valued in our culture you have to: read a book a day, work out for an hour a day, cook from scratch, buy organic, and never (gasp) watch TV!!! (or don't admit to it anyway, or make sure it's educational).
yikes!! I feel like since having kids I have become less into this! Especially with #2!! Im like cheap detergent from costco?? SURE!!! I mean really who has time for all of that?! Maybe those ladies have too much time??
I'm with YOU Shannon!!!
Oh and this whole "comparison, super mom" thing is yet another reason I don't regret canceling my facebook account! there was so much of that on there (and I know I did it from time to time too) I love it when people post this kind of thing...
changed 12 (cloth) diapers, made 6 bottles, cleaned 75 toilets, baked 6 dozen organic soy egg plant muffins, did 7 loads of laundry with my homemade organic detergent and it's only 8:30 am.
:)
Sorry to repost Liz, I'm not even a mom. I thought of your post again because I just came back from the store with bags of candy to make Easter baskets for my friends kids and I ask a couple of them if they let their kids eat candy and they said, "NO". Oh no! I'm THAT friend that intoxicates their kids with SUGAR! I feel like a drug pusher all of a sudden. Bad example for a pastor, maybe I'll return the candy and get some Christian tracts.
thanks for the comments, everyone =) i always want to respond to people but never know if they ever come back to check that i have! beks, your list is so accurate! jason, that is too funny. they don't allow their kids to have candy? oh so sad! and here you were being a cool pastor.
I want to know if Stephanie bought the "made in China" underwear Jason was talking about!
this is so true and so well written liz! that's my theory about women, we are total comparers (just made that word up, right?). that's why guys can happily use the showers at the pool bathrooms/locker rooms while all the women are hiding in a corner of the ladies' room trying to get in and out of a wet bathing suit without anyone seeing an inch of skin. we are totally insecure and always trying to feel better about ourselves by putting someone else down. anyway, loved this post. and another thing, all these people who love gardening and cloth diapers and making your own laundry detergent (WHAT?!) need to live in PNG and i'll go back to the US! this is craziness!
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