Yesterday morning I got up at the crack of dawn so I could get a little {okay, a lot} of work done on the blog before throwing an informal luncheon together for 20 people. I am not a whiner, but when hobbies {like this blog} suddenly turn into a full time job and all the sudden find yourself working 60 hours a week, you realize something’s gotta give and that you need to prioritize because you simply cannot do it all.
So when I remembered the night before that I had committed to this luncheon, I knew I was going to have to get up early and miss a brief ceremony at the school the next day {which my daughter was included in} to pull off this luncheon. Driving to the school, waiting around, chatting and then driving home would have eaten up an hour of my time.
So I asked The Girl if it was important to her that I go. She said “No Mom, you come to EVERYTHING, it’s okay if you don’t go.” And that was all I needed to hear. So I stayed home.
Don’t get me wrong, I was HAPPY to do the luncheon. In fact I’ve signed up to do it {and bake 600 cupcakes for a different event} for the past 4 years because I’d rather serve my time for this committee cooking, than sitting in a room once a month for a two hour meeting {and then getting sucked into other projects that I honestly don’t have time for}.
Volunteering is RAD.
But let’s fast forward top this super fantastic text message I got yesterday morning from a parent who was at the school ceremony {you know, the one that I missed because I am a horrible parent}.
Her: Where were you loser? {The Girl’s picture attached to the text message}
Mavis: Thanks. Get a better picture for me please if you can.
Her: No problem!
Her: That’s as good as my camera phone gets!!!
Mavis: You chopped off her head.
Her: So. Just to make you feel bad. The Girl was the only one without a parent. Hahaha.
Nice, huh?
Dear Mavis, you suck. You are a crappy parent because you missed this one event {out of like 500 million}.
She didn’t say that but that’s what it sounded like to me.
What do YOU think? Am I overreacting? I think that the comment was supposed to be funny? BUT, I have always worked really hard at prioritizing being there for my kids, so I am super sensitive to being called out on it…ever. I started thinking about how I get to make my own schedule because of this blog that you guys are cool enough to keep reading every day.
If being called a loser for missing one school event makes me a bad parent, then I feel bad for all the people who actually have to get up everyday and GO TO WORK and who barely get the chance to go to their kids event/award/fill in the blank …Shouldn’t we all be kinder to each other and understand that parenting is tough business and that occasionally life happens?
I think we all need a little support from each other, no matter what our circumstances, because let’s face it, sometimes, no matter who you are, life is hard work.
~Mavis
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