Motherhood has given me a plethora of titles: cook, teacher, chauffeur, and even referee for sibling squabbles. However, I never anticipated that “hypocrite” would be one of them. I’ve perfected the art of double standards, embodying the classic parental mantra of “do as I say, not as I do.” As the mother of two teenagers (with another rapidly approaching 13), I’ve learned that they are expert hypocrisy detectors, and they aren’t shy about calling me out on it. Here are just a few ways I’ve become a walking contradiction.
1. Expecting Responsibility
I encourage my children to be responsible for their belongings. After all, they’re not toddlers anymore! Yet, I often find myself bombarded with questions like, “Where are my shoes?” or “Did you see my book?” When they ask, I respond with, “It’s not my job to keep track of your things!” But in reality, I can’t even find my own car keys half the time. Just the other day, I was frantically searching for them, only to hear my son mutter, “It’s not my responsibility to keep up with your crap.” Touché.
2. Portion Control
I firmly believe in portion control. If the package says a serving is three cookies, then that’s all they should have. It might make me seem like the strictest mom, but otherwise, we’d have a cookie crisis at home! I preach moderation in food choices. However, I’ve been known to polish off my third glass of wine after the kids are asleep. I guess it doesn’t count if no one sees me, right?
3. Politeness Matters
I stress the importance of being polite to everyone. Manners set us apart from animals, I tell them. Yet, I often find myself yelling at the driver who just cut me off. Clearly, I need to practice what I preach!
4. Cleaning Up After Themselves
I constantly remind my kids to put their belongings away. In a family of six, chaos reigns if everyone leaves their stuff lying around. But my own dirty socks have been sitting near the computer for days, and clean laundry is strewn across the house. I guess I’m not setting the best example here.
5. Screen Time Restrictions
I advise my kids against spending too much time in front of a screen, promoting outdoor play and reading instead. Yet, I’ve checked Facebook multiple times today while they’re at school. Who can resist a good meme?
6. Social Media Caution
I warn my teens about being careful with what they post online, explaining that once something is out there, it’s permanent. Yet, I blog about my parenting experiences for the world to see. Guess that makes me a bit of a hypocrite, huh?
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In summary, it’s clear that while I strive to instill good values in my children, I often fall short myself. Balancing parenting with my own habits and behaviors is a constant challenge, but it’s all part of the messy journey of motherhood.