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!