I once read many years ago (I don’t remember where I read it or by who?) a quote, that read “Mean moms raise good kids!” and I’ve decided I’m Such a Mean Mom then. wink. No’ honestly my kids aren’t perfect, but what kid is? Mine have their tiffs, occasional sass mouths, have been caught in a small lie or two.. and then there are many times when (my husband and I ) have to remind the older kids (to much) to do their dishes and take out the garbages… and it sometimes comes with a wince or two. 

That said, I’m a mean mom because;

– I tell them NO! way more then I tell them Yes!

– I set them straight the minute a tone or attitude creeps out (the scary mom face).

– I don’t let them stay up past 10:00 p.m. during the summer and they beg for 12:00 midnight? what? this mom can’t even make it to 10:00 herself. HA! BTW its 8:45 during the school year, I’m mean. 

– I don’t give them chore money.

– We sometimes pay them for babysitting (older two) but really we (hubs and I) tell them that they have a roof over their heads, clean clothes, a comfy bed, and food in their bellies, so they don’t need any more money, because were already paying them each day anyway. 

– I don’t let them (older two) own smart phones. My oldest hasn’t even complained about it, and is happy with his pre-paid flip phone. I’ve told them they need to be “16” working and they can pay for their own…(will see how their grades continually go this next year or two… or three). 

– I make them (older two) do their own laundry, and sometimes their dad makes the older two fold a huge heaping pile of it too, (he says thats what kids are for! KIDDING).

– I don’t let them have any kind of soda, even though their dad and I happily drink DC around them all the time. 

– I don’t buy gushers, fruit rollups, pop tarts, chips a’ hoy, popscicles, or lunchables… and well’… I just don’t! (they do get “some” sugary cereals though). 

I can probably think of a handful of other things, that make me feel like a bad mom inside, and that I don’t let them desire more or have more etc. but we (hubs and I) do are very best with them and thats all you can do. I’m told by family and by others who are around my kids or work with them, that they are very well behalved kids and such sweet kids too. I guess, all my mean mom ways are paying off somehow?… I don’t know? but truly “I’m a mean mom.. and heck’ I still have all the teenage years for all four kids to still get through… Gah! their curfews will be 10:30 p.m. then. HA! 

I love my kids, and there are many days when I feel like I am a failure, and I suck, and I can’t do this, and its to much work, and its exhausting, etc. and so on. Then suddenly someone’s hugging me from behind, or I come home from being gone for 30 minutes and my youngest screams… ‘Mommy Mommy!” like I’ve been gone for weeks. Or my daughter wants to do everything I do just the same, or my 6 year old asks for kisses, and my oldest will sometimes lay next to me in my bed each morning and want some of that motherly love. As I mentioned above, all any parent can do is love, love, love, and do your very best. There is no perfect parent right?

jen, mom, mother, mama, mommy, mum. xo 

Free Printables from this here mom!  all 8 x 10, just right click save as and print. 

jen