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I love Amber Dusick's blog, Parenting: With Crappy Pictures. Amber gives us little snapshots of her daily life with two little kids, only instead of golden, afternoon-shot photographs of her gorgeous children frolicking in autumn leaves, she draws these hilarious stick figures of her misadventures. Most of the time her stories are dreadfully familiar.
I can especially relate to today's post, "The Uppers & Downers of Parenting." It starts out sounding like a drug addiction confession, but actually it's about how she needs coffee and wine to function as a parent. Or more accurately, how her kids need her to drink coffee and wine to function as their parent. Oh man, can I ever relate -- especially when I was dealing with a toddler. I cringe at having to admit this, but those two beverages totally saved my motherhood.
Trying to meet a toddler's energy level takes more than superhero energy -- it takes caffeine. Especially first thing in the morning. Like Amber's kids, my kid wakes up READY TO PLAY! And I DO NOT! I can't tell you how many times I've groggily told my son, "Let Mommy have her coffee before we start with the blocks."
And then there is the wine. Amber writes/draws about how at the end of an especially rough day, she's "a bundle of nervous thoughts." That is, until her husband hands her a glass of wine -- then she's back to fondly musing, "so nice to see them play together." Ah yes, the 5:00 grape tonic, I know it well. In fact, I about died of shame when my then-3-year-old learned how to say "Glass of wine, Mommy?" My husband guffawed. I shuddered and suddenly saw myself on Dr. Phil. "So tell me, 'Mommy,' how's that Zinfandel working out for you?" "EXCEPTIONALLY WELL, DR. PHIL. THANKS FOR ASKING."
We can talk about this, right? How sometimes, in totally moderate, responsible ways, we use a little chemistry to help us with our parenting? I mean, it's not like we're abusing prescriptions pills or cooking up meth in the garage. It's all about the dosage -- too much always backfires. But just one glass will really help take the edge off an especially trying day of tantrums and potty-training disasters. I'm not recommending anything. I'm just saying: If you occasionally imbibe to thrive, I won't judge you.
Do you think a little caffeine and alcohol improve your parenting? Or do you think it's irresponsible?
Image via jessicamelling/Flickr
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