We've been to a lot of play dates this summer. I'm thinking between 3-4 each week. We're talking science class with friends, play grounds, birthday parties, museums, camping, barbecues, quick trips to the pool- typical summer stuff. The thing with play dates at this age is that play dates for kids means play dates for moms too. Play dates are a great time to observe other moms at their best, I think, and I have amassed a list of qualities I have seen and admired. I'm thinking some enterprising scientist could just find a way to put all of these qualities together to create a completely perfect "Frankenmama"
1) Protective Mama- Here's the mama who you just don't cross. It's like a mama bear with her cubs.
2) Realist Mama- Look, most of us know our kids have faults but what I really admire is a mom who values their children not in spite of their faults but even because of them. We love our kids, why not love them for all that they are.
3) Organic Mama- I know moms who buy food 100 % organic... even bananas!
4) Glowing Mama- These are the moms that are always smiling lovingly at their kids during the play date. It's a good thing all of my friends and family have cute kids!
5) Clean Mama- Yes, there are some moms out there who clean. I've yet to see the inside of their houses.
6) Busy Mama- I mentioned the science classes, but there's also swimming lessons and what about music class too?
7) Not-fooling-around Mama- This summer one of my mama friends showed up to science class with only one of her preschool aged boys. She said the other one stayed home with Daddy "because he was not being a good listener." I looked at my two boys- one of whom took 15 minutes to put on his socks and the other who pooped his diaper just before we had left that morning (and refused to admit it). Wow. It takes one powerful mama to actually follow through with a consequence.
8) Cool Mama- This is the mama who gets all of that cool stuff like the Bakugans and the Star Wars gear. She's up on the latest Disney and Pixar movies. If she's really cool, she might be able to tell the Transformer bad guys apart.
9) Fit Mama- Some moms don't just exercise but they also spend time with their kids at the same time! Several of us have jogging strollers but how often do people actually use them for running (and not just going to the grocery store)? Yes, there's people who even join exercising-with-kids classes!
10) Attentive Mama- Some moms are more attentive than others. This is easier with fewer kids of course! Still, there are some moms who actually do remember to put sunscreen on their kids before they leave the house each day, which is quite a feat (considering I've lost all four bottles of sunscreen I had this summer).
11) Chillin' Mama- Bee stings, bickering kids & overdue naps don't seem to phase some people as much as they do for others. Sometimes having a laid back mama is just what a kid needs to learn to be independent and creative.
12) Teaching Mama- Full disclosure here, many of my friends are teachers- so it's not too surprising that we've done science projects with our kids and practiced their pre-reading skills!
13) Patient Mama- Mmm... patience is answering the same question for the 11th time today, patience is watching the same movie every morning.
14) Practical Mama- This mama knows that her kids are going to watch some TV today so she can wash her hair and make lunch. She also knows that the kids are going to have to eat their Halloween candy some time so they may as well have a sweet tart after lunch.
15) Outdoorsy Mama- Moms who are not afraid of a little sunshine, ticks and sweat are bound to get their kids outside more, especially this time of year. Sometimes it's easier to stay indoors where it's air conditioned but then how will your kids ever experience worms wiggling in the palm of their hand?
On second thought, I think Frankenmama just might be too perfect. Sometimes you need to lose your patience to truly appreciate what patience is. And every once in awhile, a kid who is used to being watched and followed by a terrifically attentive mother needs to escape and be unwatched by a mom who knows how to chill out. Still, maybe it's healthier to grow up in an organic, germ free environment, but then again maybe it's okay to build up a kid's immune system too.
Kids aren't perfect so why should their parents be? And if they really love us, they will love us even when we're not the perfect mother anyway.
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