Look at that family up there… just look at them – all smiles and hugs. They look perfect don’t they? Like they eat family dinners together, go on vacation to exotic but child friendly locations, and put on family karaoke nights just to amuse themselves. To tell you the truth… that is true. All that is true.
@SocaMomDC has that tv family. lol. just looked at the pic on her business card. She also put me on to some stuff at #BWB2012.
— Slim Jackson (@slimjackson) June 3, 2012
But – we are no Cosby’s. We have issues just like the rest of the families in the world. We have issues – shoot, sometimes our issues have issues. I am not always smiling from ear to ear like I am up there. Nope. Some days I am. Most days, I’m not.
I am struggling – yes, struggling, to raise a boy that does not want to be raised. He would rather be raised by wolves… literally (no, for real – the wolf is his favorite animal, he knows all about them, and believes that they can do a better job raising him than we can). I share what I know to have worked – but if you are a regular reader, you know that this part of my parenting knowledge is limited. I don’t usually talk about how to raise your kids. I figure that no one really knows all that much, since no one has perfect kids. If you are still following this blog (and I am still blogging) when he gets married and starts his own family, then and only then will I have reliable advice on raising a pre-teen.
I wish I could be all smiles like that lady up there all the time. Truth is, I am painfully shy sometimes. The SocaMom you see out and about is the product of some pep talks from the hubby and a few hours of getting myself together. I remember going to one event when I didn’t have enough time to prepare, and it was just awful. I was awkward, quiet, and socially… well… not. I apologized a few times for not being myself, but that just made it even more strange, so I eventually just left. And no, I wasn’t homeschooled. I just have always been that way.
People like perfect – but they LOVE imperfect. We liked Will and Jada 5 years ago when they were America’s sweetheart couple – but we LOVE them now that their dirty laundry is spilling over a little (just as long as it doesn’t get extra creepy). Oh they are Google rock stars now. People want all the details on them now. Who wants to search, “Will and Jada Smith still in love” – when you could be searching for “Will and Jada Smith gay divorce swinger box office kryptonite”?
Bottom line, you don’t have to go looking for our imperfections, trust me, they are there. Anytime I give someone my business card, I let them know that the image they see is everything I hope for my family to be. I hope for my family to enjoy hugging one another. I hope for my family to have the closeness and happiness in that photo. I hope for my family to hold each other so tightly that if a wind blows, we all sway together, but we keep one another from falling.
