Posted on May 29 2016
Following on from last week's blog about empowering women and supporting each other, I thought I'd write a little poem.. Some of us do it without thinking, some of us do it with the best intentions, some of us, well, I think we need to stop...
Mums, what are we doing?
It's a privilege not a game
We are here to raise our children
We won't always be the same
If you breastfed all your babies
That's awesome, good for you!
If your baby thrived on formula
Then that's really good too!
If cloth nappies worked for you, that's cool
But Huggies work for some
Hell, I use bloody Woollies brand
They just go on their bum!
If you wrapped your little bundle
Put them down and walked away
Or stood and rocked for hours
With a soothing gentle sway
If you cooked organic veggies
Blended kale and made sugar free jelly
Or you bought a pouch, a tin, a jar
And filled their hungry belly
If you bought their clothes from Seed or Gap
Pumpkin Patch or Esprit
Or clothed their little bodies
In a $3 Kmart tee
Maybe you need to go to work
To pay the bills and thrive
To get some adult time
And help your brain survive
Or maybe you love to stay at home
That lifestyle is enough
It doesn't mean you've got it easy
Or that it isn't tough
We make our life decisions
On what works best for us
We don't need another mother
To throw us underneath the bus
Who are we to judge what's right
What cool, what's hip what's in
What is best for mother, family and child
To avoid the loony bin
So if you see another woman
Doing something that you're not
Don't assume their way is wrong
Or want something that you've got
If you see a mum doing her thing
But it's not how you would play it
Zip your lips, bite your tongue
You don't need to bloody say it
Unless the child's in danger
Or it's real concern for their health
Turn the other cheek
Keep your opinions to your self
We as chicks get judged enough
We don't need it from each other
Just do YOUR job - don't get involved
Unless it's asked for from the mother
If you see an upset parent
With their toddler on the floor
Screaming, crying, flailing
And the mum trying to ignore
Don't glare at her or mumble
'That kid needs a good smack'
Catch her eye, give her a wink
And pat her on the back
We all have different levels
Of tolerance, of strength
If you can show that you are there for her
You are right on her wavelength
Judgemental comments are dangerous
They can demoralise and destroy
A smile can change a Mother's day
Support will bring her joy
None of us know what is right
Half our life is one big guess
Let's just let each other be
And do what suits US best
Claire X
Mums, what are we doing?
It's a privilege not a game
We are here to raise our children
We won't always be the same
If you breastfed all your babies
That's awesome, good for you!
If your baby thrived on formula
Then that's really good too!
If cloth nappies worked for you, that's cool
But Huggies work for some
Hell, I use bloody Woollies brand
They just go on their bum!
If you wrapped your little bundle
Put them down and walked away
Or stood and rocked for hours
With a soothing gentle sway
If you cooked organic veggies
Blended kale and made sugar free jelly
Or you bought a pouch, a tin, a jar
And filled their hungry belly
If you bought their clothes from Seed or Gap
Pumpkin Patch or Esprit
Or clothed their little bodies
In a $3 Kmart tee
Maybe you need to go to work
To pay the bills and thrive
To get some adult time
And help your brain survive
Or maybe you love to stay at home
That lifestyle is enough
It doesn't mean you've got it easy
Or that it isn't tough
We make our life decisions
On what works best for us
We don't need another mother
To throw us underneath the bus
Who are we to judge what's right
What cool, what's hip what's in
What is best for mother, family and child
To avoid the loony bin
So if you see another woman
Doing something that you're not
Don't assume their way is wrong
Or want something that you've got
If you see a mum doing her thing
But it's not how you would play it
Zip your lips, bite your tongue
You don't need to bloody say it
Unless the child's in danger
Or it's real concern for their health
Turn the other cheek
Keep your opinions to your self
We as chicks get judged enough
We don't need it from each other
Just do YOUR job - don't get involved
Unless it's asked for from the mother
If you see an upset parent
With their toddler on the floor
Screaming, crying, flailing
And the mum trying to ignore
Don't glare at her or mumble
'That kid needs a good smack'
Catch her eye, give her a wink
And pat her on the back
We all have different levels
Of tolerance, of strength
If you can show that you are there for her
You are right on her wavelength
Judgemental comments are dangerous
They can demoralise and destroy
A smile can change a Mother's day
Support will bring her joy
None of us know what is right
Half our life is one big guess
Let's just let each other be
And do what suits US best
Claire X
Great work Claire. I would like everyone to know that this wonderful shop donated a gorgeous bag for a silent auction for a trivia night being held to raise money for us to buy equipment for my husband who is now a quadraplegic & to help pay medical bills. I will post how much it goes for after the event on 17th June. (My husband has damaged his spine after rescuing our son from a rip when he was subsequently dumped on his head in the surf at Gunnamatta)