Calling All Cruise Directors...

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I don't fit in with the pre-school moms, which to me is a good thing.

I am old school in the sense of I don't feel like my kids need to be signed up for lots of activities at such a young age and the term "play date" makes me roll my eyes (it sounds so prissy- whatever happened to saying do you want to come over my house and play? are kids these days so busy that they need dates?). And going to a play group or joining a mom group- well that just seems like a torture worse than being up all night with a screaming baby. I have always said that I refuse to be friends with someone just because their kids are the same age as mine- I've sacrificed enough by becoming a mom and I refuse to forfeit my dignity by hanging out with someone that I don't want to.

I am the type of mom who expects my kids to be able to entertain themselves- if someone says that they're bored my response is find something to do. I am not a taxi service or an ATM machine that dispenses countless amounts of money for activities. You want to play with someone? Play with your sibling or if plausible the neighbors. I mean, isn't one of the reasons I had three kids so that they could play with each other? If I wanted to hear boredom whining I would have had just one kid and saved myself a lot of trouble.

When I was a kid back in the dark ages of the late eighties/early nineties I played with the neighborhood kids and I was in Girl Scouts. That was my life. I don't remember my mom trucking my butt all over town for multiple "play dates" every week or signing me up for tons of activities. You know what the neighbor kids and I did? We would climb trees, have dirt ball fights and explore the woods. If I tried setting foot back in the house before dinner time my mom promptly kicked me out.

Now I know some people may not have other kids in their neighborhoods so trucking your kid around to friends houses may be a necessity- but please quit saying "play dates". It is such a helicopter parent term that personifies how this generation of kids is being turned into little wussies who need mommy and daddy to constantly pacify them.

Me, I prefer my kids to know that mommy is not their concierge. I have tons of junk to get done during the day which all pertains to their happiness and well being so the added job of on board cruise director is not something I want to add to my plate right now.

What Have You Done For Yourself Lately?

I am a mom but before that I was not a mom. I used to take time for myself to do things that I enjoyed. I feel like I am so busy with taking care of my family and all of the little things that go along with it that I don't do much for myself anymore.

Yes, I know this comes with the territory but I can't just be a mom. There is still a little bit of Erica inside of me who wants to come out from time to time. Some may say this is selfish but they may just be a tad bit delusional (or they aren't a mom).

So, I am going to start to do one thing a week that is just for me. I'm not talking anything extravagant- just reading a book is good enough (I have a book that I bought months ago that I haven't even opened yet).

My selfish act of the past week was I bought myself a cute shirt from the Gap (I am so exciting, what a daredevil). Yes, it was on sale and I used a coupon but it's mine and it will make me happy when I wear it and look nice. I promise next week's selfish act will be a little less lame.

What have you done for yourself lately?