Shooting the Raised Eyebrow.

A graceful, and wise friend once told me..."the more I am a mom, the more I am less judging of other moms." As I venture deeper into this parenting adventure I am getting the gist of what she was saying. We are all just getting by doing what we need to do to make it to bedtime healthy, semi-clean, and with a daily adventure under our belt (and probably a few bribe snacks). Funny, the most judging comments I have received from 'friends', are the ones who have no kids. It sure was easy for me, in my no-kid-ilton days, to send a raised eyebrow to the father who took his 4 year old to the dreaded McDonald's, or a mom, who allowed her daughter to have genetically unattainable barbie dolls. "How plain wrong", I would mutter as I peddled my too-cool-for-school bike from the outdoor education program I managed to go have beers made with organic hops). If there were hybrids and I could afford one, I would have been driving one. I look back now and think, "how so very ordinary, Terry."

Two tailbone breaking births, a neo-natal 'your baby has a brainstem injury' scare, bloody breastfeeding nipples, and two sassy little girls later, I am singing a different tune. Actually, I am bellowing a different tune from my basement while folding laundry cleaned in hypoallergenic soap. Sure my kids drink hormone free milk, just planted a chemical free herb garden, attend a oovey-groovey private preschool, and have over-priced Waldorf dolls that they have no interest in. I believe in that type of parenting. I also combine it with a healthy dosing of sugar vitamins, dancing with the stars nights, and family outings to the demo derby where gas fumes whip the audience into a blurred stupor while daddy drinks canned beers purchased in a large bag.

To all those parents-to-be, with grand ideas of what is right and wrong parenting. Know that the day too shall pass when you will be sitting in judgement of the purple wad of bubble gum you just gave your 4 year old to get him to sit through a rehearsal dinner...and the next time, instead of sending out a raised eyebrow, you will sit in amazement of of how families just get through the day...healthy, semi-clean, and hopefully with a daily adventure that fills their sleepy little heads with dreams of what is possible.

I have to go now , my girls are fighting over cowgirl barbie and some chicken McNuggets.