Make it Work: Mom-Solutions During Less Than Ideal Situations

Guest post by Jenny Reyes

Things not going your way, Mom?

We all have those moments when we’re caught in a bind:

When the precious little ones (God Bless them!) and the current errand or situation do not agree with each other.

Where does it leave us Moms?

Caught right smack in the middle.

In times like these, we pull out what no book can teach us — ingenuity, creativity and resourcefulness only mothers have (and can appreciate!).

These are what I call Mom’s Make It Work Moments (MIWM), and here are some of the more common ones I’ve experienced, heard of and learned from.

Please, no criticisms.  Only laughter is acceptable beyond this point. Enjoy!

Situation: Explosive child poop at the most inopportune times, such as standing in line for an hour and your turn is up. Getting out of line would mean having to line up again, possibly for hours.

MIWM#1: Smile at everyone around you, bend down, disinfect the floor area, then set the changing pad down and change your toddler right where you are in line. Smile again when you’re done and PRAY you have a plastic bag.

All you can do is smile…inspite of the poop

Situation: On a long flight the kids decide to give the other passengers a run for their hearing by crying, wailing and/or screaming.

MIWM #2: Bring along earplugs that you hand out to your neighboring passengers at the beginning of a flight in anticipation of the inevitable. It not only shows you are aware of the situation, but it also helps break the ice.

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Situation: At a restaurant or a friend’s house, your child won’t sit still to eat his / her food and gets up every 5 minutes.

MIWM #3: Whip out the iPad or iPod and make them watch while eating. It’s okay to break a few rules every now and then for peace and quiet’s sake.

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Situation: Need to be on time for an appointment and no one is cooperating.

MIWM #4: Get yourself ready, and drag everyone kicking and screaming into the car in their pajamas if you must. Stick them with snack cups to tide them over and then get drive-thru if you have time.

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Situation: Potty-trained toddlers need to use the bathroom in a place where there is either a public bathroom that is beyond disinfecting, or there is no bathroom at all.

MIWM #5: Boys can go behind a tree. Girls, behind a rock. (With the firm explanation that this shouldn’t happen again, or happen as often as it should!)

The fact is that we aren’t raising robots.

We’re raising children, with a mind and a body clock of their own. Children who have absolutely no concept or care as to what the books say is proper or best to do when and where.

Let’s face it:  We moms wouldn’t be moms either if we did everything by the book.  It is enough that we try.

Okay, your turn!  What are your favorite MIWMs?  Do tell!

 Author bio:

Jenny Reyes  pens the blog, My Mommyology which is our featured blog of the month. She currently lives in Chapel Hill North Carolina, where she is a full-time student of the science of motherhood, with her two little girls as her prime teachers. She also moonlights as one of the partners in the marketing consultancy firm called Your Brand Story. Among other things, Jenny enjoys reading, traveling and scuba-diving.

Photo:
First from JDaniel4′s Mom