Other Mothered

Nick Jr., amid some controversy, started airing a block of shows at night directed at moms. I haven't caught it yet, but my SIL told me about these snippets they air in-between shows called "Other Mothered". I've watched a few online and think you should too.

I am hoping my SIL mentioned them to me because, as a mom, she assumes I have been "other mothered"....not because she feels I have "other mothered" her. I hope she knew I could relate and would find them entertaining. She's be right. I do.

Most of the "other mothering" I have experienced has been minor. A mom who pauses for a moment, then gives me a sympathetic grin, after learning I turned PB's car seat forward facing a few weeks before his second birthday. She waited til her son was three.

But several weeks ago, I experienced real "other mothering". PB and I had a play date with one of his classmates ad get mother at an indoor play area. Both being first time moms and neither of us having been there before, we could not have known that the children would run in opposite directions the whole time. We chased our children around this museum if over-stimulation for about an hour before I found them and suggested we break for a snack.

We found a table in the "picnic" area and settled in. I grabbed the small snack pack from PB's bag...graham sticks and yogurt dip. And then......

The other mother says, "I didn't know what you'd bring for PB so I brought him a snack too". She proceeds to open a full sized lunch box and pulls out the following:
Peanut butter & jelly sandwich
Baggie of Goldfish
Baggie of blueberries
Box of yogurt covered raisins
Squeeze pouch of veggies
And a juice box...

FOR EACH CHILD!

And here, poor PB's mom brings him a snack pack (that she'd patted herself on the back for remembering in the first place). I made a few comments to the other mom, thanking her but saying he was fine. But he wasn't. Of course he wanted everything his friend was eating. So I finally had to swallow my pride and accept the food offerings PB was desperately signing "more" for.

I have to admit, I felt "other mothered". Was that her intent? I doubt it. She may have even done all that in anticipation that I would do something similar. But I hadn't.

It was a lesson though. I am sure I have unintentionally "other mothered" other mothers. I know I have said things about only feeding organic when PB was a baby. About not letting him watch TV. About not giving him chocolate, even now.

The lesson I learned is, for the most part, most moms are just doing their best. They feel they've done enough reading or research (or not), and are doing what they think it right. For THEIR kid. For THEIR family. Sure, there are some moms who consciously want to make sure their best is better than mine. But whatever. If that is what floats their boats, so be it. I'm too busy just trying to be the best mom I can be...for PB's sake. And no one else's.