The New Norman Rockwell

There is this idea out there that moms (and especially WAHM/SAHM) moms are supposed to be perfect. We're supposed to have our shit together and dinner ready when our husband/boyfriend/wife/etc walks into our house. Society tells us that all we do is sit merrily in our rears eating Pinterest inspired meals while our children happily play together in the corner- oh wait, they're playing on iPads and cell phones these days.  A modern day Norman Rockwell. 

And while soda shops and homemade apple pie are all peachy kin and shit, we've created a monster. We've set our future generations up on the front line of the mother of all wars. To fight the battles  of living their lives with their families without Facebook induced judgement and unwarranted DFS calls. 

I want to say we fueled this war on moms. This saga of never ending guilt and shame by putting other mothers down. We've all done it. We've all made the snide comment about how Mary parents or how Jan and her clan always look perfect so she must be up to something. We relish in the reality TV version of other women's lives, not realizing our actions and reactions are what is fueling this war on moms. 

We've become so desensitized to cruelty and judgement. It's a part of our everyday life. We are teaching it earlier and earlier in our children's lives by just our normal actions. We are literally teaching our children the battle strategies to continue an industry created war on parenting, especially mothering. 

All of a sudden, ever little parenting move you make is judged. Gauged even. We are defined by a series of government and society approved ideas and standards that really do not fit most of us. Yet we don't change them. We work to change ourselves into something we do not even recognize. 

Again, we fuel the war. 

We refuse to be unique (who wants to be labeled something far worse for walking to your own drum) and conform. Even when we are walking our own path, we receive even more criticism. We are in a giant catch-22 of craptastic values, morals and ideas spoon fed to us by the international giant of society. 

Breaking free is hard, but doable. You might get yelled at, name called or unfriended on your social media site of choice. But breaking free is the best thing for your sanity, your children and future parents out there. 

And in the meantime, let whatever flag you relate to, fly!!