Copyrighted by Lorna Tedder. Originally published in Third Degree of Truth.

One of my hot buttons that I don’t think will ever cool down is to see another mother do something  really stupid or self-centered. Who am I to judge? I’ll tell you.

Life Coaching Tips

I  am  the  non-swimmer   who’s  stayed  (more  than once!)  with   small  children  in  deep  water  until  their moms—strangers   to me—remembered to   focus   on something other than a cute guy in a towel and good tan. I’m the woman  who’s grabbed  a toddler running  for  a busy street while Mom’s trying to lick her boyfriend’s ice cream cone. I’m the driver who’s stopped in the middle of a highway while a little tyke barely old enough to walk tried to cross to get to his mommy who’s walking 20 feet away and faster to keep up with the man she’s having an irate conversation with. I am the mom who…well, you get the idea.

As a mom, the protector  in me comes out and I get livid when  other  moms  don’t  pay  attention,  especially when it’s some guy that’s so less worth it than her kids. I can really understand  why “Mother” and “Warrior Goddess” are so closely associated.

Most recent hot-button pushes?

The 5-year-old struggling to ride his bike without falling over—on  an ultra busy street  corner  in town.  No mom, no dad, not even an irresponsible  sibling in sight. Besides the thousands of cars on this street  daily, there are several registered sex offenders living within 2 miles of  his  neighborhood,  according  to a local website.  If I were the type to steal children, I could have been at least

2 hours away by now. If I were the type to run over kids on bikes or not have good brakes, I could have been at least 2 hours away by now. If I were the type to molest little boys, he could have been dead in a ditch a couple of hours ago. This is my concrete proof of guardian angels.

The two-year custody struggle over a 16-year-old boy whose parents I know. Initially, his mom left his dad for another man  and told his dad to take the kid. She had more important things on her mind. Then mom and new man #1 broke up and she got lonely and wanted the kid back. Which lasted for about 2 months, until she got a new boyfriend and sent the boy back to live with his dad. Then man #2 dumped her and she was all alone and didn’t like being alone at night so she wanted the kid back. The judge gave the boy a choice but told him he couldn’t change his mind again until he was 18. The boy really wanted some mom attention and went back with her, excited that she wanted  him. Within 3 months,  yep, along comes a new boyfriend who quickly becomes a new husband and the boy’s mom can’t even get the kid fed when he has the flu because she’s off spending all her energy on the new  spouse.   So boy’s dad’s new wife takes him home,  feeds him,           and nurses  him back to health, and boy stays with dad and step-mom.   All is fine with mom because she’s now re-married,  no longer lonely, and still getting  child  support  for  the  boy  (until  he’s  18)  who never sees her. Grrrrrr.

I guess I was thinking  about these things last night when Shannon was sick and I was stroking her hair. She tells me today that she can’t imagine a mom like that because I’m the only mom she’s ever known.

I’m glad.


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