Maybe I'm Just a Crappy Mom

Picking up my son from nursery school has enlightened me on the many aspects of human behavior one of which makes me wonder.

There are moms who absolutely gush over their children when they pick them up from school. Big hugs and kisses and talking about how they missed them so much (for the three hours they were separated). When I first observed this I felt (for a brief moment) that I must be a sociopath of a mom because when my son is away at school I only miss him a little and if he was being a total brat before I dropped him off I actually didn't really miss him at all and wished I had a full time nanny who could pick him up and drop him off at home at bedtime.

When I pick up my son I give him a pat on the back, a hello and a smile and rush him to the minivan so we can get our asses home (the whole time I am lugging an 18 month old around on my hip while she is trying with all her might to get down and run away). When we get in the car and I try to get him buckled into his car seat I am always without fail reminded why I didn't miss him that much while he was in school (why is it that being buckled into a car seat has to become a huge production). Then I ask him how school was and get annoyed when he says "I don't know". When we get home and the kids start fighting I then start calculating in my head how much daycare would cost for two kids and if I could break even having a full time job- heck, even if I didn't break even it would be worth it sometimes when the kids are being extra difficult.

So, the gushy moms just befuddle me. Whether they are sincere in their over the top greetings or they are putting on a show I just think they are weird. Or maybe their kids are really sweet all of the time and I really am just a crappy mom.