My Two Sides: Good Mom vs. Bad Mom

Yesterday I spoke with my mom and made plans (for today) to take the kids to a little lake I visited as a child. Yea, let’s get them out of the house for some much needed weekday fun & for mommy's sake.

As 7:30pm rolled around everyone was sleeping- I thought to my self… good they will be nice and rested for tomorrow and maybe even temper-tantrum free. That was the moment I jinxed myself…

Addison woke up at 11pm and would not go back to sleep until 1am. Good Mom suggested she lay in our bed…Bad Mom wanted to put her back in Tinkerbell bed crying and all. Jackson was still sound asleep (they share a room) and I did not want to wake him, so Good Mom won the battle and Addison cozily tucked herself in next to my hubby and me.

2am Jackson wakes up crying… the two of them took turns waking up every couple of hours until they both were in bed with us. 6:30am came quickly and the moment Addison spoke I knew what kind of day we were going to have…

Good Mom: “Good Morning Pumpkin undies off please”

Addison: “NO!”

Good Mom: “Addison take your undies off and go potty”

Addison: “NO NO!”

Bad Mom: “Addison -take your undies off now or I will do it for you and you will not like the outcome”

Addison: “NOOOOOO!”

Bad Mom: Pulling (more like yanking) her undies off, while yelling at her and firmly putting her on the potty…”Now go potty or go to time out- either way I don’t care!”…

Yes, it is Bad Mom who, at some moments, just does not care.

By this point, Bad Mom wanted so badly to tell her we were calling Gredda (grandma) and telling her we were not going. But Good Mom thought that getting them out of the house would be easier than listening to the fighting and temper-tantrums the day was bound to bring. So Good Mom packed our beach bags and made lunches, dressed everyone in their “swim-swims”, walked the three dogs, locked them up, got both babies settled in the car seats, packed the car with the beach bags, cooler and towels and we were off.

Five minutes into the drive we hit pouring rain. Bad Mom was ready to call and cancel, being that we were still close enough to the house and knowing that nap time would be forfeited while at the lake...meaning that two cranky babies on no sleep from last night would lead to two miserable babies and us most likely having to leave the park. Good Mom continued to drive…each time we would make it past the rain I would turn the wipers off and sure enough it would pour. It was as though that damn storm cloud was following us the entire way! Bad Mom: “See I knew this was a bad idea!” Good Mom decided to continue driving leaving the windshield wipers on even when we finally made it through. I was afraid the moment I turned them off the stom would return.

We picked up Gredda & Uncle Brian; made it to the park and the kids, Gredda, Uncle Brian and Good Mom had a wonderful day by the “seaside” as Addison calls it… They should have no problem sleeping through the night (Good Mom says with her fingers crossed)…


(This is my constant battle…Good Mom vs. Bad Mom… Bad Mom wants to keep Addison in time out for the entire day, prays that Jackson takes more than one nap, wants them both in bed by 7pm just so she knows the day is over; but it is Good Mom who Triumphs, it is Good Mom who looks forward to doing it all over the very next day…it is Good Mom who makes the best of each day as we did today)!