Thursday, April 23, 2009

Sincerely 'Fro Me To You: Trailer Trash Kids

Jumpin' back on the bandwagon of Sincerely 'From Me To You and I find out there is a new driver. Buckle up......it's sure to be a wild ride!

Today I bring you the younger, more critical ~ some may say condescending ~version of the Mama.

I've told you my love for my Mother In Law. And really, I have nothing to really, legitimately complain about. But you know I'm gonna anyway.

She is VERY passive. You know the kind: if you looked martyr up in the dictionary, you'd find the picture I posted in my first Fro post.

She doesn't assert her opinion. Will hardly give a decisive answer when asked.

Would NEVAH presume to tell us how to raise our family, even though she did an outstanding job with her boys and has taught elementary school for over 40 years.

I tried to emulate this attitude when she was kind enough to watch the kids for us when we went out of town.
Really, stop laughing.
After I gave her whatever details she wanted about kids schedules, likes and dislikes etc. etc. I tried to keep my mouth shut.

But inside I seethed.

You see, she loves to take pictures with her non digital camera. She is even more snap happy when I'm not around. I guess I take some of the fun out of it :)

She puts all the picture doubles in those little $1 plastic brag books for my kids to have. They love them. Me? Not so much.

You see it seems my mother in law doesn't really sweat the small stuff.

Like getting dressed. Or cleaning their faces.

Here's a picture of my two oldest when My Man and I were out of town.


When I saw this picture almost a decade ago, I was mortified.

My children look like Trailer Trash Kids.
(what we call dirty kids.......you know, with 7/11 dirty feet, babies dressed just in a diaper, breakfast, lunch and dinner still on their faces, mamas cussing about beating their children, daddies burpin while rubbing their beer bellies; need I go on?)

I saw this as a reflection of my parenting skills and morals.

But, now?

Here's a picture *I* took while camping.

Would you looky there: Babyboo is all trashy AND suckin on a pacifier. (my other three babies only used paci's in the crib until they were 1)


Yup, I've run over that condescending self with a 4 wheel drive and am so much more content.

I can actually look at these pictures and see the love instead of critiquing each person.
Ahhh, wisdom ~ the ONLY benefit to being this damn old!

9 comments:

Upstatemamma said...

Too funny!!! I have my holier than thou moments with my ILs too. :)

Jesica said...

hahaha... we call those kind of kids "cabin kids". I realize now that I am a raising a "cabin kid" =)

Tami said...

Another thing for me to add to MY neurotic list. Dustin always says that pictures don't have to be perfect EVERY. SINGLE. TIME..........if I'm taking it they do ;)

BTW, I suscribed to you using that button. But before that this post wasn't showing up in my reader and still nothing??

Kathi D said...

You say "trailer trash kids" like it's a BAD thing?

The Glamorous Life Association said...

I delicious Fro post.

I think you really captured the essence of Sincerely Fro me to You and why it is so dear to me. I think a little time and a little distance can make a horrible/embarassing/annoying photo look like the true expression of fun in which it was taken.

Oh that dang hindsight.
Always 20/20.
And that is without Lasik.

:)

And trailer trash kids? I call mine 'Street Urchins'...like daily. Cuz I am a good mom like that.

Muthering Heights said...

LOL...just don't admit it to your MIL!!

Bahama Shores Mama said...

Upstate Mom: Can you believe one day WE will be those ILs??? Not sure I'm cut out for that.

NJB: Cabin kids :) love it!

Tami: perfection is an debilitating illness ~ maybe you should get a vaccine. Love you!

Kathi: I now EMBRACE my own trailer trash ways....and my kids. And thanks for making me spit my soda on my screen.

GLA: That hindsight bites me in the arse EVERYTIME! And street urchins reminds me of begging kids. Now I have to go back to your blog to see for myself if your urchins are ones I'd dig deep in my pockets for.

Muthering: Oh, I NEVAH admit I was wrong. It's part of my winning personality.

Thanks for all the visits and comments.

BlueCastle said...

I think your kids are adorable. :)
I've been married for almost 10 years and I really wish the last couple of years have really loosened me up. I wish I have been more relaxed with my MIL and my kids when I first started out. Things would've been less stressful. :)

Bahama Shores Mama said...

blue castle: itsn't ironic how only with age do we realize that we could have made things so much easier on ourselves? thanks for commenting!