Giving ourselves a break.

As parents, we want the very best for our kids. As neurotic parents very devoted parents, we tend to make it our life's ambition to be the best parents our kids could ever hope for. And I am woman enough to admit, that I fall into the neurotic devoted category. And I needed a break.

This weekend, I took Theo up to Virginia for a stop on the festival of fun runaway train ride that is October ("birthday month") in our family. I was making a mental packing list, which included the cloth diapers and I decided that Theo's backside would not in fact, burst into flames if he spent a few days in disposable diapers. And given that he spends the other 362 days a year in cloth, I felt the environment would give us a pass on this dalliance into the world of planet wrecking convenience. I did at least put him in the fancy pants marketing scam otherwise known as Huggies Pure and Natural with organic cotton. Then I decided to really break bad and feed him from jars. Yeah, I even punked out on slaving over the food steamer and Magic Bullet and/or figuring out which table foods his royal highness might consider putting in his belly. I simply went to the grocery store, picked out some Earth's Best jars and went on my merry way. 

So, how did it all turn out? It was glorious. I threw diapers in the trash without remorse and Theo scarfed down that jarred food as if it was his first taste of McDonald's. Having thrown myself off the perfectionist parenting track for the weekend, I let him eat beef stew, multigrain Cheerios and watermelon and never once asked if it was organic. Instead, I made sure he had all the pieces to his Halloween costume and that he had fun with his cousins. You know, the important stuff childhood is really made of. 

And guess what? I'm still a good mom. I'm a good mom because I made sure his Halloween costume was perfect. Because I get down on the floor and play with him every chance I get. Because I read to him instead of letting him watch TV. Because he's 11 months old and I am still breastfeeding him. And many other reasons. Organic or not, he eats. Cloth or not, he doesn't sit in soiled diapers. All that important stuff. 

So, I challenge all you other devoted parents to give yourself a break today! You are still a good mom. Heck, you are still a great mom! Our kids will grow up happy and healthy and that's what matters. 

And tomorrow you can go back to scrubbing baby poop out of diapers and pureeing organic squash. Just like I did. :)