Quite a few of my Facebook friends have recently shared this blog post, lamenting the ridiculousness of "Mommy Wars" and how we, as moms, sometimes feel the need to adapt our parenting based on the friends we'll be seeing on any given day. While I love the fact that the underlying message is that we shouldn't be giving a crap about what other moms are doing, or what brand of cheesy snacks they are feeding their kids, I am forced to laugh at the nature of this post.
Don't get me wrong, because I really do love it when the moms of the world band together to support one another, but people actually buy different snacks based on whom they'll be seeing?
Am I the only person who does not have stuff like this anywhere on my radar?
We are currently a one-income family because I lost my job and haven't been able to find one since. While I love-love-love staying at home, we didn't come into this situation by choice. We've had to work very hard to make it work. We bust our butts to budget and shop within our means, and I am really freaking proud to say that we haven't carried a balance on our credit cards one single month.
That being the case, MK doesn't get her pick of all of the cheesy snacks under the sun. The snacks we bring to the playground are the ones that are affordable and that our entire family will eat. She gets Greek yogurt, string cheese, grapes, Wheat Thins (well, the Target brand version of them...), and pretzels. If we regularly kept more expensive snacks in the house, she'd probably get those. However, Ken and I were not blessed with good metabolism or beach bodies, so we try to keep healthier stuff on hand. That, and that alone, is why MK gets those snacks.
When I pack a bag for our outings to the Zoo or the park, I don't think for two seconds about what other moms will be feeding their kids. I open our cabinets, consider the options, and grab the food that will last for several hours while we're out.
In my humble opinion, both bunnies and goldfish are privileges. As is juice. MK gets milk and water to drink-that's it! This is because water is free and milk is good for her bones. We don't have it in our budget to add juice to her diet. It's as simple as that.
So, my message to the moms of the world is this: Please stop worrying about stuff like this. If you can afford to buy two different versions of the same snack, you do not need to be complaining. You probably have less to worry about than a lot of other people. Feel grateful. Feel free. And take two seconds off from thinking about stuff like this, and go play with your babies instead.
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