One of my favorite blogs to read is Ree Drummond’s The Pioneer Woman. I’ve posted recipes from Ree’s blog, I’ve entered her photography contests, and I laugh each time I read it. Today, I read THIS post, and had an ah-ha moment. Below I have quoted the first two paragraphs of her post. This post made me so happy because I realized I was not the only mother who had this issue.
Right or wrong, I’m not one of those mothers who has a scorecard or chart where she keeps track of which of her children she has acknowledged lately in order to make sure she’s distributing her affections fairly and evenly. Throughout the course of my motherhood experience, I’ve always preferred to gush about my four individual children naturally and as the spirit moves me…not because some chart (which, as I said, doesn’t exist) tells me to.
Then again, I doubt many mothers have such a chart. I think we all generally endeavor to get through the day and make sure our kids are clothed and fed, that their basic needs are met, that their education is being tended to, and that they stay out of dangerous situations (see: ice skating on a frozen creek). We generally have little time to keep a scorecard of who’s received what from us, and when.
I am in total agreement with Ree. I love all four of my daughters equally, and I could gush over any one of them at any time if put on the spot. I try to be equal when I talk about the girls on my blog, in public, and to our friends and family. I, however, am not perfect, nor do I claim to be.
I recently had it pointed out to me by a close family member – through another family member, that I don’t talk enough or as much about some of the girls versus the others.
Quite frankly, I was ticked. Seriously ticked.
To me, it meant that my love for my girls was being questioned, and that is something I should NEVER have to deal with. For a long time after I questioned myself every time I wrote a post about one daughter or another. I shouldn’t have to edit myself to please others, and after a point I stopped doing so.
This blog is an outlet for me. It’s a way for me to express my feelings, to keep our long-distance families updated about our activities, and to keep a record – much like a scrapbook – of our lives. When I talk about one daughter or another it’s because she is the one I happen to be thinking about at the time.
My point is that it was so nice to see that there is another mother out there who knows she may not be gushing equally publicly, but who does behind the scenes.
So today, thank you, Ree, for helping me feel better about myself as a blogging mother.
And to end my post – a picture of my FOUR gorgeous girls!
Nature Girl. Mom. Wife. Friend. Photographer. Sewer. Crafter. Artist.
To borrow a phrase – “Yeet Ye Riche”