Sunday, May 16, 2010

My First Negative Comment

If you think a bragging mom is obnoxious, you might want to skip this post.  No?  Still here?  Okay, I warned you.

I like to think that I am a fairly confident person.  I doubt my abilities in many areas, (cooking, sewing, fashion, art, etc), but there is one thing I don't doubt.  While I sometimes doubt my decisions, I don't doubt that I am a good mother.  Maybe it's obnoxious to say that.  The trend these days seems to be for everyone to moan and groan about what a horrible job they are doing as a mom, to talk about all the mistakes they are making.  I know I have already made mistakes, and I know I will make many more, but I feel good about the choices I make, because I know they are all made with love, and in Dylan's best interest.

So, this past week, when I got a negative comment on this blog, saying I'm not cut out to be a mother, it didn't phase me.  Truth be told, I was a little excited.  See, I've been blogging a long time, and until then, I NEVER got a negative comment.  All the popular bloggers at some point had talked about negative commenters, and I felt a little left out.  (Now my inbox is going to be inundated with hate mail, isn't it?!)

Some would say that I am a pretty strict mom.  I don't allow Dylan to eat a lot of treats, and I don't let him watch a lot of TV.  Each day, he gets to watch one DVD that is an hour or less or one show on PBS.  Why PBS?  No commercials.  I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do.  I am just explaining what I do.  I have worked with a lot of kids who watched a lot of TV and I saw how materialistic it made them.  They had a long list of "wants" and I didn't want my kid to be like that.  I put up with comments and teasing from certain family members about this rule, believe me.

One day this week we took Dylan to Kohl's, because we are trying to decide whether or not to buy a gazebo on sale.  While walking around, Jim suddenly saw a stuffed animal he wanted to buy for Dylan.  It was the dinosaur in Toy Story.  Jim liked it, and he thought Dylan would like it.  Dylan held it the whole time we were in the store, but when we got in line to buy it, he said, "I don't want to BUY it!"  Jim said, "You don't want it?", and Dylan replied, "No, I don't NEED it.  I already have a dinosaur at home".

I am telling you, I think I emitted a blinding ray of light as we walked out of that store, because I was just beaming with pride.  A three year old who turns down a toy?!  Send all the negative comments you like. I must be doing SOMETHING right.

11 comments:

The Girls' Mommy said...

Let me at her!!!! Grrrrr.

I once got a negative comment, (from a family member, no less) saying that my kids would one day look back at the blog and would be ashamed of me as a mother. MAN did I let her have it. Grrr. We are fabulous mothers, screw them.

blue china studio happy said...

What??!! That is terrible. But I love your response to it. Always believe in yourself, especially as a mother.
And I'm totally impressed by Dylan's mature decision of not needing another dinosaur. Wow!

And to you, good job!

Brooke said...

Okay - so how many other's went back to look for said comment? (I am so darn nosy!!!) But I didn't see it....

So, I will just add that I totally admire your confidence, I could use a dose of that over here. For someone to say such a lousy thing is just plain mean. There is no doubt in my mind that you are a FABULOUS Mommy.

Jen said...

If you are "nosy" like Brooke (I would have done the exact same thing!), don't bother looking for the negative comment. I deleted it immediately after reading it. : )

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

I want a negative comment! Without one I'm just nothing as a blogger! Oh, be careful what you ask for, I guess. But seriously...what did the person say? I'll have to see if you left it up.

Anyhow, that thing about dylan is awesome. Jonathan did this to me too at a store one day when I told him I didn't have the money to get him a certain toy. He finally put it down and said, "Otay mama. We get it another time."

Such sweethearts our boys! (Oh gosh, was that too positive? Eh, oh well!)

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

Oh, I see you didn't leave it up...then you'll have to tell me what she said! :-)

Elissa said...

seriously? someone said you're not cut out to be a mother? people do that online? like, i just read 2 seconds of your life and am now here to pass judgement? yeesh. i'm glad for your response. if i get any of those i am going to laugh my can off because THAT is RIDONKULOUS. ;-)

oh, and congrats on reaching the next level of blogging! grisha

Elissa said...

okay. i would also like to explain that "grisha" is not some kind of slang for a high-five or something. it was suppose to be in the verification box. i wondered where that went the first time.

Lindsay said...

Ha! I totally nosed around your blog too....looking for the comment.:) Great post...my kids aren't there yet. Unfortunately, they are still in the I-want-everything-phase.
You are a wonderful mother!

Jay Marie said...

What I love about this post is your absolute conviction that you are a great mother, and that just shows how great you are!

Lovely to read as I feel just the same way!

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