6.15.2011

Holding it all together


I read this over the weekend, and thought it was one of the best things I'd ever seen. I just had to share it here:

"The way I see it, if you have four kids, you don't really have to do anything else, ever. Three kids is a handful, but one that many people manage to hold. If you're a mother of four, you definitely don't have to have a career or volunteer for the school fund-raiser or even bring an appetizer to the dinner party. In fact, people give you a lot of credit for wearing both earrings and knowing how to spell chaos and antidepressant. Four kids gives you a pass for every forgotten birthday, overlooked appointment, and missing form. Plus, you can be late for everything the rest of your life and never return phone calls. Who's gonna blame you? It's like having nonthreatening cancer, forever."

Kelly Corrigan, The Middle Place

I'd love to print this out and hand it to a few people. First on the list, my mother, who never seems to understand why I'm not on top of every single minute detail of life, and why I take forever to return her phone calls. Sure, I'm scatterbrained, but for the love of God, there's a LOT going on around here! I do have a career (although part-time), I do volunteer for some school things, and I bring more than just appetizers to all kind of functions. I even wear both earrings, and I'm a great speller! All of this on top of having four kids. I'm holding it all together, even if sometimes that means using duct tape & staples.

I also forget a lot of stuff, and misplace permission slips, and turn in forms late. Often, I'm at the grocery store the night before the school parties, buying a bag of Cheetos. But I'm managing it, the best that I can. I just wish everyone felt the way that author does (who by the way, is a mother of two, who beat breast cancer.)

But really, it's not even about how many kids you have. We're all different in personality, organization ability, coping with stress, and juggling 15 things at once. We all do our best, and we all need to give each other - and ourselves - a break!

{This is not a book review and I was not asked to do this nor compensated in any way. I checked this book out from the library and was just delighted to read that paragraph. It was a great book though, one of the best I've read lately, and I highly recommend it! }


10 comments:

Amy said...

hmmmm Wonder what kind of pass being insane enough to have 5 kids buys you? LOL

My friend and I figured out years ago that once the children outnumber the adults in the house - you're in big trouble and wine will be your best friend. ;)

(j/k about the wine)

Kimberly said...

I can so relate! I'm always forgetting this, misplacing papers, running late, etc. But in the end, I'm holding it together. Barely :)

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

My sister-in-law has five girls ... 4 to 10. She forgets a lot and it used to piss me off. Then I watched them one time, along with my 4-year old. I'm not pissed anymore. I spend my days praying for her. :-)

Shell said...

Can I claim this for moms of 3, too? :)

Diane said...

I have the utmost respect for anyone with more than two kids! My two are enough to keep me on the brink of insanity most days!

Renegades said...

I think your point about how you are effects your days as much if not more then the number of kids you have is so true. Some parents have two and are running like crazy while another with six has all hers organized and sitting.

The Girl Next Door said...

Please, Twins did me in. How the hell you manage 4, blog, breathe, and maybe feed them once in a while is beyond me!!!! Love that quote!

Mrs4444 said...

I read The Middle Place, too, and liked it; she's funny, and I like memoirs.

Great message--I try to remember this when people tick me off. It helps.

Unknown said...

I only have three, but I am waaaay scatterbrained. So I guess that's my excuse.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I only had two and I always felt overwhelmed!