That Mom.

I have a small confession to make.  I am that mom that others moms talk about behind her back.  I'm that mom that shows up and doesn't engage in idle chit chat to pass the time.  I don't to sit and talk about the milestones that my kid has or has not passed.  I don't want to talk about what I feed them for every meal of the day and how I lose sleep thinking whether or not they have a balanced nutritional meal.  I also don't want to talk about school, grades, ability levels or teachers.  This is the only extra curricular activity we've got going.  No music classes, no golf lessons, no Kindermusic...nada.  We are a one sport per kid family.  And I'm that mom that shows up, book in hand, wanting peace and quiet while I watch my kid do his thing.

Sunday nights Matthew has basketball practice and Rich and I take turns who takes him.  I enjoy taking him.  It is an uninterrupted hour during the weekend that I just veg.  I bring a book, occasionally look up and see how he doing, and then I go back to reading.  The parents that surround me, well, they are mostly from my school.  So I get it, they talk about me and I am 100% fine with it.  They must say..."Look, it's Meanie Marini.  She is so unsociable.  Could she sit any farther from us?"  And to tell you the truth, if I thought it was appropriate, I'd probably be in the car waiting until he was done.  Talk about me all you want...as long as I don't have to talk back.  I am an extremely social person, however, I am not the "we did this" and "we have that" and "oh yes, I've heard about that", and "how did you like this", person.  Now, if someone wants to engage me in conversation about The Good Wife or Real Housewives of Beverly Hills or House or Modern Family....I'm your girl.  Pull up a seat and let's go through our season passes.  But it's the moms that are constantly keeping score that drive me crazy.  I want to turn to them and say, "Listen....when your kid is my kids neurosurgeon, then props to you and your nutritional organic only meals!  You win!"  But until then, let's just see how they make it through elementary school, shall we?

I don't remember this growing up.  Maybe because I was the kid and now it's because I have kids, right?  And this isn't going away, is it?  This will be here forever, correct?  I get that.  I am coming to terms with it.  I don't really worry about what people say about me...I'm a big girl.  I worry about my kids who will inevitably be competing against the kids whose parents keep a score card in their back pocket.  That is a tall order for anyone.  It's almost as if we have set a bar so high, at such a young age, that it is impossible to reach.  And they are only seven.  This isn't going away, is it?