The Things You Don't Know Until...

you are the mom of a little boy. At some point, after potty training them, summer will descend upon your life, and you will realize, there is far little time to run from the backyard to the deck, through the dining room and through the living room to the stairs and up to the upstairs bathroom. It is far easier to teach them how to pee standing up outside behind the garage and on the tiger lilys nobody ever sees anyway. It is not easy, however, to teach something you don't know how to do yourself. I've never had to pee standing up and I didn't know that there has to be upward and outward ARC, to prevent toe splashing. What do you do, when the stream nears its end? I haven't figured out that one yet. So, although we have successfully mastered beginning and middle standing pee, we have not figured out how to wrap the whole thing up. I keep asking my bewildered husband, who apparently doesn't want to share this male secret with me. I just wish he would share it with my son.

The things you don't know until you've been a mom to a baby. Don't ever judge another mom of a baby, because you just don't know what it is like to take care of HER baby. Just like people, not all babies come with the same care instructions. Some need more holding, some need less, some need food, some need more mommy, some need......you get the idea. You don't know what that Mom may have been through in the last 24 hours. If you are going to judge, keep it to yourself, but really you shouldn't judge even silently. Because, you never know who might be thinking YOU aren't doing the right thing with your baby. Personally, I think all of us moms should unite and support one another instead of tearing each other down. And just because someone does something different than the way YOU choose to do it (or will choose to do it) doesn't mean they are wrong or that you are right. There is no wrong or right really. Just different parenting styles and choices. Same goes for Moms who have babies, but don't have toddlers yet. Don't frown at my child having a temper tantrum, while I walk away. You just wait; your angel may one day be doing the same thing to you.

The things you don't know until you buy a house. You don't really know what you are going to have to spend on the house, to make it just "right" until after you are in the middle of the renovation battle. I think it takes YEARS to make a home just right. What furniture works for this house, may not work for the next.

The things you may not know, but hopefully you do: stay at home moms work just as much as working moms. We are not snobs. We are not lazy. We are intelligent, hard working women, just the same as working moms. I never criticize a mom for working. I would like the same back in return. We all try to make the most loving and wise choices when it comes to the care of our children - no matter if we work from home or away from home.

I'm done with my soap box now. Thanks for listening!