A formula company recently launched an ad that has received quite a bit of buzz. It addresses the so-called “mommy wars” and reminds us that at the end of the day, we all want our kids to be safe and happy.
Have a look:
I completely understand that it’s meant to be funny. It’s a parody, after all. But I find the premise of this commercial troubling because, in the end, it still feeds into stereotypes. Do people really think mothers don’t have anything better to do than sit around and judge each other? Last I checked, we’re busy raising families, working, volunteering, and doing a thousand other productive things. I’m in the middle of raising six kiddos and have only felt supported, loved, and encouraged by the mothers around me. Certainly things can get a bit sketchy online – we’ve all seen some conversations go downhill fast, but we all know that online trolls have something to say about anything and everything. In real life, am I the only one feeling supported by my community of mommy friends?
How Would You Have Handled This Mall Encounter?
It leaves me wondering – does it depend on who you hang around with? Are some people more drama prone and, therefore, more likely to have this experience in motherhood? Maybe if you don’t welcome drama into your life, it doesn’t come?
OR, do I live an oblivious existence and just don’t notice I’m getting judged?
Either way, I’m sick of seeing hard-working loving moms being portrayed as a bunch of judgmental busy bodies.
What has your experience been? Do you feel supported or judged in your life? I think we all just need to keep an eye on the ball, and remember that everyone has the same goal:
Header Photo Credit: Caroline Burgess
"Once the traveling ends, the fun begins."
In our family, Daddy-o happens to be from the other side of the planet, so most of our holidays involve long and expensive trips with our biggie-sized family. The most difficult trip involved 21 hours of air travel when I was five weeks out of my fifth C-section. When you have five children and your oldest is six, you mostly try to block these experiences from memory.
Things have changed for this busy mama. We recently did the same flight, but my sixth and youngest child is now 5 years-old and it was SO EASY. Being able to travel without diapers and strollers is liberating. Big kids can pack their own carry-on luggage and actually carry it themselves. I no longer look like a mule, lugging around bags and babies.
Seven things that mothers of four or more do that every parent should incorporate into their lives.
We still get a lot of looks and there are still some challenges, but people no longer physically recoil in their seats when they see us board the plane. Rarely do I hear cries and shrieks from other passengers screaming “PLEASE DON’T BE SEATED NEAR ME!” like I often did in the past.
There are still some strategies that I like to implement to make for easier travel. Some are hang-overs from the old days, and some are new:
Top 5 Travel Essentials When You Have Kids
Have you packed up your peeps lately? What survival strategies have helped your family arrive in tact and still liking each other?
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