Who Me? Yes You!
Pretty much every job on the planet needs some kind of qualification, some experience and some hands-on knowledge in the field you are entering. Even for something like cutting hair, you need a qualification. I highly doubt NASA would allow you to fly into space, just because you’ve watched so many astronauts fly their space ships (both in real life and in movies). How then, is something far more treasurable than a space ship, aka your baby, placed in your care when you have no prior experience whatsoever? Something to ponder on…
Which Type Are You?
We have all heard the saying– ‘each child is different’; the same rings true to mothers too – no two moms are alike. Here are few mommy styles you would notice if you observe other moms around you.
- The Hot Mess Mom–Drained and weary, this mom is always in a rush and possibly loaded up on her fair share of coffee. Always on the move, this mom’s signature move is to forget something – the kid’s lunch boxes, her phone and a cult favourite – the keys. She’s been locked out of her apartment more times than she likes to admit and also managed to find a way to open the door when push comes to shove. Even though she’s a bit frazzled, possibly wearing her t-shirt inside out and is the personification of a mom bun, come what may, we absolutely relate with and admire the Hot Mess Mom, because she’s as real as it gets.
- The DIY Mom – The hands-on mom, who believes in her core that everything related to the child, is to be done with her bare hands. The class projects, the school pick-ups and drops, the snack and lunch box cooking and packing, the parent volunteer programs at school, the moms support group… these are all exclusively her domain. She’s the one the other moms look to when they have missed any information from school. ‘Better to do it perfectly yourself, than have to repeat the work after someone has done in a mediocre way’, is pretty much her mantra. Sometimes, single handedly bearing the entire load can seem daunting and unnerving. But for the Do-It-Yourself Mom it’s a way of life, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
- The Google Mom – A mom whose teacher is Google and doctor is WebMD… enough said. This mom can find solutions to most of her mommy issues on the internet, and why not? The internet is a vast ocean of knowledge after all. She’s her own investigative journalist (read borderline stalker) when it comes to following other mom groups and implementing any and all tit bits to make her bub’s life Insta worthy. The Google mom relies heavily on online articles to make decisions on everything from which milk has the least sugar to whether or not a certain vaccine is required. The flip side of the coin is that not all reads online are backed with research or proof; anyone who has an interest in a particular topic can write their opinions and sentiments. It falls on the mom to again make the decision on the publications she would take to heart and the ones she would take with a dash of salt.
- The Picture-Perfect Mom–Picture this. We are all waiting for our little ones outside school ready for the parent pick up. There is always that one mom who is impeccably dressed heels et al, with flawless red lipstick and not a hair out of place. To the rest of the herd it may seem like an unmanageable chore, but to this mom there’s no other way about it. This also means that this mom might expect her child to follow in her image of perfection. We may not have a peak into what happens behind the curtain and in the rack and pinions of her brain, but the façade is always a smiling calm one. Baby wipes and hand sanitizers (yes, plural) will always be in reach and tucked away in the diaper bag, the car and the pockets. She is that type of mom the other 5 types imagine as their goal to being the ‘best’ mom they can be, but a misguided notion at that.
- The Too-Tired-to-Care Mom – A stark opposite of the previous type, this mom is definitely more relatable to many of us. The epitome of comfort, you will always find this mom in tracks and a tee possibly even with a few stains from baby food here and there, with half greying hair coz she’s not managed to take a minute for herself to visit the salon. She gets the job done and doesn’t give a hoot about how she appears or what anyone thinks of her. This mom drives her children to school, runs errands, picks up groceries, picks up the kids, feeds them something on the go and manages the rest of the day without the bat of an eye. She may even catch a few z’s while waiting for her kids outside their music class. If this mom’s day was charted out to the minute, it is only understandable why she couldn’t care less to actually comb her hair or even care wear matching pairs of shoes. Agreed, almost 100% of all moms fall into this category at some point or the other. The too-tired-to-care mom is an embodiment of all new mothers out there trying to manage all the falling balls on their own.
- The Encyclopedia Mom – This mom has been around the block and has been there and done that. To reach this stage though, the kids are almost always grown up and in college. The small stuff that seems colossal to most of the other mom types doesn’t faze this mom. She is the go-to mom for child-friendly recipes, alternative medicines, mild sicknesses, doctor reviews, school hunting and even great deals for those midnight online shopping binges. The ‘Gyan-Vani’ of the lot, she’s also the one who can give you perspective and keep you grounded. This mom can sometimes come off as a know-it-all, but she’s a good mom to have in your corner.
If you are a mom, we are sure you can relate to being in one or more of the above categories. Whether you are a newbie or a weathered veteran, mommying comes with its own battle scars. And no matter what kind of mom you are, you are all doing the best you can and are all experts in your right. But then the crucial and fundamental question of all – what makes you an expert? Is it about the years of experience or the number of children in your own little brood?
This we may not know, but one thing’s for sure – you can only be an expert at bringing up your own kids. No one in the world can tell you otherwise – not an expert soccer mom, not a working mom of four, not your own mother, noteven Oprah herself. After all, your shoe doesn’t fit the entire village. So all we can say is, muster up all the remaining energy you have after a day of mommying and channel it into beating your level 92 on Candy crush. And here’s the kicker – don’t feel guilty about it. Not one tad bit!