When I was four-years-old, my mom took me to my first movie. I still remember the excitement of having the huge screen in front of me, sitting next to my mom, older sister and brother, with my popcorn and soda. I waited with anticipation for the movie to start, and before I knew it Dolly Parton was up there, larger than life in The Best Little Whore House In Texas. Ok, so it was a questionable choice of movie for a toddler. By today’s standards, she probably would have been all over social media with hashtags like #LittlestShameHouse or something ridiculous. Luckily in 1982 there was no social media, and there were also fewer movie choices of which to take your kids. But if I’m completely honest, I have no recollection of being affected by the sex scenes in that movie. I don’t know if my mom covered my eyes or took me to the bathroom at those parts. I do, however, have a deep, emotional memory of how much I loved watching the dancing, and hearing Dolly sing “I ...
How often do you wish you could take out that mom handbook to help solve all your issues, from potty training to figuring out what the appropriate age is for your daughter to start shaving? And who could survive without the chapter on “impossibly tackling all 75 hours worth of tasks on your to-do list while also having time to interact (not via facetime) with your children?” Ugh, if only that handbook existed (and was written by a bunch of women who had Phd’s in maternal instincts who also sat around in yoga pants eating pizza and drinking wine)! Obviously, there is no degree in motherhood, and there is no one “right way” to tackle any parenting issue. The journey of motherhood is hardly ever smooth, but oftentimes the bumps we encounter make the best stories and teach us the most important lessons. Rather than feeling discouraged and humiliated, wouldn’t it be so much more helpful and refreshing if we were all just honest when we scre...