Motherguilt Really Is One Word

If you've been a mom longer than 30 seconds you're probably familiar with Motherguilt. My husband has a story about his mother that is a great example of Motherguilt. One Summer day his mom got sick of him going in and out of the house. I don't know whether it was the door slamming repeatedly or the air conditioning being sucked out of the house that was driving her the most nuts. At any rate she got fed up, locked the house door, and went upstairs for a sanity break. Of course, that was when my husband crashed his bike and broke his arm and couldn't get back in the house. Motherguilt.

For three nights before Jack's first metabolic crisis he kept waking up crying for more and more drinks, carrying on and generally throwing a series of tantrums. Now we know he was exhibiting fairly classic "brittle" behavior. At the time we thought he was merely being a toot and responded accordingly. On the third morning when he was lying in bed unable to call out and having a seizure, I was 10 feet away from his bedroom, sipping coffee, enjoying that Jack was finally "sleeping in". Motherguilt.

Samuel has been waking up, crying, thirsty and carrying on for the last two nights. Impending crisis or Impending Terrible Two's? I can't allow Motherguilt from the past to warp my current relationships with my children. After all, a respectable, almost 2 year old, will capitalize on any parental display of weakness. Especially Samuel, who seems bent on world-wide domination. All I know for sure right now is that I'll get less sleep than usual for the next few nights and I'm praying for wisdom while simultaneously pushing carbs. That should be enough to prevent new Motherguilt for now.

Oh, except of course, my 13 year old just reminded me that I lost her birthday check from Grand-Poppa, and I've not done anything about it yet. Her birthday was in May. Motherguilt.