Parenting

You know how we try not to judge people? I’m terrible at that. Really terrible. But it’s mostly because other people are terrible parents.

Tonight we were at a law school party, thrown by the wives’ club. The Bwun was having a great time running around with other kids. He was across the room from me when I saw a little girl (probably a year or two older than him) walk up and push him over. It was absolutely intentional and unprovoked. Behind me I heard the girl’s mom say, “No, no. That’s not nice.” And that was the end of it.

I know I tend to keep a very close eye on the Bwun, and it’s probably too involved. But I think there’s something to be said for paying attention to what he does and actually responding. If the Bwun pushed someone over – or pushed them at all – and I saw it, he’d go straight into time out, regardless of where we were. Otherwise it would just seem like he can get away with bad behavior as long as there are a lot of other kids around, and as long as I was busy socializing.

I do enjoy getting to spend time with other grownups. But when I have my kids with me, they take priority. I don’t necessarily enjoy that part – it would be nice to not be a mom every single minute. That’s what I am, though. Being a bad parent is easy. Being a good parent is exhausting. I may be exhausted…but I prefer that to letting the Bwun bully other kids. (He’s too little to be much of a threat, anyway.)

Don't

I woke up this morning with the worst headache of my life. Ow ow ow. The edge has come off but I’m still suffering, which actually works well for me. You know how much I like complaining. So, in honor of my lousy-so-far day, here is a list of things I don’t like:

• the smell of parmesan cheese. Sick.
• playing chess.
• social disapproval, real or imagined.
• classes that don’t post grades online. In this day and age?!
• being barfed on.
• not knowing where my glasses are, and being too exhausted/miserable to put in contacts.
• the Bwun’s tantrums.
• fussy babies. Seriously, jr, you have it easy!
• being too tired and busy to clean the kitchen.
• Velveeta.
• seeing other people make money for mediocre or downright horrendous work.
• still recuperating from all the company we had on Sunday (for jr’s christening), and therefore not going grocery shopping and not having any food I want to eat.
• almonds.
• fever and chills.
• the song “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train. Gaa.

That being said, I’ll try to post some positive things later. For now, let me be grouchy!

Slacktivism

(Can I just say that slacktivism is one of my favorite made-up terms from the past decade?)

I read a lot of blogs. I’ve already admitted that perhaps more time than necessary is spent with my Google Reader. Of course, the blog world – as well as the internet in general and the real world – has been afire since the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. We are devastated. We are heartbroken. We want to help. (I’m assuming most of us are decent people who feel such things – though there are sure to be some who are heartless and therefore cannot be heartbroken, and who think Japan deserved this disaster. Hmm. For the rest of us, what happened is a big deal.)

Back to the point – a majority of the blogs I read are participating in a Blogger’s Day of Silence today. The point is to “raise awareness” and to make an effort to “respect and acknowledge” the situation. Bloggers posted about the Day of Silence earlier in the week and encouraged readers to participate, as well as to donate.

I am really not trying to offend anyone here, but…

SLACKTIVISM!

Signing up for this day of silence does nothing more than make you feel like you’re part of a cause. Or rather, a Cause. You have nobly, selflessly, put others’ needs ahead of your own. Also, your blog was linked on the main Day of Silence page.

Why not make this a donation-focused day? Why not organize a day where everyone blogs about their favorite charity that is currently helping Japan? It’s because we don’t want to ask readers for money, we don’t want to ask ourselves for money.

Well, slacktivism aside, I did donate through the link on the Blogger’s Day of Silence page. I usually go through LDS Philanthropies, but this is specifically created to help Japan. (The Red Cross allows you to donate for Japan as well, but they have a $10 minimum and I’m poor.) So. I refuse to be silent, mainly on principle.

But I will help!

And you should too.