“Mom of the Year”: Stories of Imperfect Parenting from Real Moms

Have you ever had a moment as a mom that you were less than proud of, embarrassed by, or struggle with later? I mean really struggle with later.

News flash: We are not perfect.

Some of these moments are, in my eyes, smaller moments. Like the time I ran out of the house frazzled and running late trying to get my son to preschool on time, only to step outside and have him ask, “Mom, why do you have two different shoes on?” I mean, two COMPLETELY different shoes. I laughed and we kept going because there was no time to go back and change my shoes or find a matching set.

Some of these embarrassing moments have also caused great pain, many tears, and heartfelt apologies. But embarrassing moments can often turn into great conversations.

In a world that pressures us to be perfect, it can be daunting to be less than the ideal. No one likes to admit they struggle or make mistakes. During these times of less-than-perfect parenting, you may find comfort in knowing that you are not alone.

So to make you feel better, or at least make you laugh, here are some “Mom of the Year” moments I have compiled from my mom friends. These stories usually start with, “Do you have a minute? I just had a Mom-of-the-Year moment.”

Momma Stomp

“I did the “momma stomp” out of the mall after wrestling my son to get his socks and shoes on after play-time at the playground area, all while being seven months pregnant. You know, the “momma stomp”: walking swiftly out of a store while angry-whispering under your breath at your child as they proceed to throw a fit, kicking and screaming, all the way out. People were staring. I was sweating. I had to literally drag him out of there, since I could not easily carry him due to my huge pregnant belly.”

School Drop Up Fashion Show

“I was going through the drop off lane at school for the first time. My son had played outside the night before and ran through enough water to thoroughly soak his only pair of tennis shoes. That morning, I was frantically looking for any pair of shoes that would possibly fit him. We got to school and he started to complain that his feet hurt because his shoes were too small. He got out on the wrong side of the car, extremely upset, so I got out to help him, only to be berated by the lane guard.

To make matters worse, I wasn’t intending to get out of the car that morning, so I was sporting maroon Harry Potter fuzzy pajama bottoms, a peach-colored shirt, slippers, and a hot pink coat. It was quite the fashion statement. After driving home to get the only other shoes that would work for him, I raced back to school, parked in a regular parking space, and had to walk past two more lines of cars to go in and out of the school. I may have cursed under my breath and tried to become invisible throughout this process.”

Isn’t She With You?

“I had to use a rental car to drive a bunch of kids to a church program (some of them were my own, I promise). The set-up of this vehicle was different and it was a chaotic morning. I parked, opened the doors, and the kids jumped out quickly with the older ones helping some of the younger ones. I closed the doors and ran into the building. After a few moments, one of the teachers came up to me asking where my daughter was, to which I asked, “Isn’t she with you?” After a resounding, “No!” I ran out to the vehicle to find my child sitting in the far back row of the car waiting for me to find her.

Poor Choice of Words

“After an extremely sleep-deprived night, a day full of errands, and a long day filled with my son complaining and not listening to me, I lost my cool. In a moment of pure frustration, I looked at him and said, “You suck right now.” I know. Terrible. I could tell the instant the words left my mouth that I had crossed a BIG line. I never talk like that. I meant his attitude was an issue, not him. I felt so sick about what I had said. I could tell it went deep into his sweet, sensitive heart and my heart broke. I apologized, clarified what I meant to say, and we talked about how to avoid a situation (on both sides) like this in the future. It still bothers me, though, and I wish I could take it back.”

Hair Horrors

“My daughter was eating her hair. EATING it. She was asked repeatedly to stop. We had multiple discussions about how this could hurt her body, and eventually require surgery if it caused a blockage. She kept eating her hair. In a moment of frustration, after feeling like we had tried everything else, I pulled up a video of a child having surgery to remove a ball of hair that had completely blocked her bowels. I felt so bad about it, but she stopped eating her hair.”

Oh, For **** Sake

“I overhead my child say, “Oh, for butt’s sake,” and tried so hard not to laugh. I don’t know if it was a mom-fail that she heard me or a mom-win that she didn’t get the phrase right. Either way, I guess I wasn’t as sneaky as I thought when I mutter under my breath. Lesson learned.”

Every mom wants so badly to be that great, put-together mom who never makes mistakes. However, that is not reality. We are human. We get fatigued, frustrated, and say and do things at times that we are not proud of. Being a mom is a tough gig; the best and most challenging one of my life. Some of my worst “Mom of the Year” moments have turned into some of the greatest lessons and conversations with my children and other moms.

So, when you have a “Mom of the Year” moment here are some tips: take a breath, apologize if you need to, and have that conversation. Find those trusted friends you can be real and raw with about life and know that you are not alone. You are not a bad mom. We have all been there. We are all doing the best we can. We will make mistakes, but we learn, and we love better because of them.