I'm trying hard not to be judgmental, Brooklyn Girl's Inner Bitch Post has me thinking.
I spent Friday night in a world where I clearly do not belong. It was a First Grade Get Together for the boys in Miss K's class. There is a small number of them, and some of the mothers feel that they all must be best friends outside of school. This is the 5th round of parents at the school that I am encountering, and I don't feel the need to bond and be best friends with all of them. My son is by far the most social of my children and of course I would go so he could have a good time.
I am not a well-coiffed, manicured, pedicured, Gucci flip flop, platinum and diamond ring wearing mother. I will not complain that two children left me with stretch marks and what would a third do? (I should add that after seven pregnancies, I have NO stretch marks). I didn't have a hard time taking the T-tops off of my convertible and that is why I was late. I could never fathom saying that because one of my children had colic, I would never have another one (child) because I need my sleep to function. I would never refer to a recently purchased vacation property as "my husband's, because I had to clean it. My cleaning lady didn't want to drive to Michigan to do it."
The general attitude of these women made me go ... "What?! Really?"
The newest mother, joining the grade this year, had me alienated at Word 1. To me: Oh, cute dress. That's Wish brand out of Australia. I think the line was '07?" Yes, my dress is probably five years old and I did purchase it for $7.50 at the resale store.
And the second: Again, to me: I would NEVER drink diet cherry coke. The dyes in there .... (insert shudder, complete with pulling shoulders up to ears, eyes closed tightly, pretend shiver) You should know what it's doing to your insides.
And the third: To meL You have HOW MANY children? Did you say in 8, 6, 5, 3 AND 1 grades? Oh, well ... 8, 7, 4, 2 and 1. Not much different. Do you have any more at home?
Oh dear, leave me alone in my resale dress with my cherry coke ... red dye 5 pulsating through my body. My husband couldn't get there fast enough to pick me up (in our one car family we needed to share and I got a ride there with my friend).
It is going to be a long year.
Running with the Joneses
September 7th, 2011 at 03:51 pm
September 7th, 2011 at 04:23 pm 1315412616
September 7th, 2011 at 04:33 pm 1315413226
September 7th, 2011 at 05:24 pm 1315416259
September 7th, 2011 at 05:50 pm 1315417845
You're fabulous. Be amused, not intimidated. They're trying to one-up each other, just don't play.
September 7th, 2011 at 05:51 pm 1315417892
mother of six I do raise eyebrows.
September 7th, 2011 at 08:06 pm 1315425975
September 8th, 2011 at 01:09 am 1315444159
September 8th, 2011 at 02:13 am 1315448035
September 8th, 2011 at 03:23 am 1315452203
September 8th, 2011 at 04:02 am 1315454576
I'm very glad I'm not the only one not wearing that same diamond ring they all wear. You guys are the best!
September 8th, 2011 at 09:23 pm 1315516984
September 9th, 2011 at 03:56 am 1315540564
That mom apparently spent too much on her flip flops to remember to buy moisturizer!
September 9th, 2011 at 07:50 pm 1315597858
September 9th, 2011 at 09:40 pm 1315604459
Jerry
September 12th, 2011 at 07:06 am 1315811173
Tsk! on them and merely consider the source. Best to save the energy for more important issues rather than these shallow women. I'm sure if they were to watch the movie "Shallow Hal," starring Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow, they still wouldn't get it.
Having been an Air Force officer's wife for 17 years, I never fit in with the majority of the women when we had a gathering. I was different in philosophy, attitude and simply didn't believe in following the same paths they did. Going into their homes for monthly brunch meetings made me so depressed because of how clean it was. But in looking back, I learned that their place was just as cluttered looking as mine was everyday. I learned to grow up very quickly.
For me, being true to myself will always be the most important thing I can do. It's obvious that you are as well. :-D
September 19th, 2011 at 06:19 pm 1316456394
September 21st, 2011 at 02:34 am 1316572471
Yes, I see the mum's at the school gate sometimes when I drive past (no kids yet for me, I have all this fun to look forward to in a few years). The mum's seem to compete with gym gear, here. It shows that your husband works while you spend the day at the gym working out, having coffee with 'friends' and then picking up your children when the bell goes.
I have stretch marks from when I was 15 and I seemed to grow five inches in what seemed like overnight.
September 21st, 2011 at 11:59 pm 1316649541