26 May 2008

my "frugal living" is your OCD

I'm starting to think there might be something wrong with me. My first clue should have been how passionately I defend Martha Stewart to people who mock her for her obsessiveness. My second clue should have been when I actually got a Master's degree in Library Science. But the third and final clue that helped me figure out what Blue wants to do was when I decided to bake homemade bread with a 23 month old and a 3 1/2 year old for fun, and then take pictures of the
bread.

Yeah. Its a good thing?

BTW... I just saw a commercial while watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 that went something like this:

A mom: I use paper plates becuase my children come first, so I don't have time for dishes.
Another mom: I'm giving up my apron for more time to play with my kids.
Third mom: I want to paint my nails with my daughter, not get dishpan hands!

Translation: people who don't use paper plates are shitty, selfish parents. With dishpan hands.

First of all, unless you're also using paper pans or making Hungry Man microwave dinners for your kids, you still have to do dishes. Second, I think I'd rather spend a few minutes AFTER MY KIDS ARE IN BED loading the dishwasher than have them grow up in a world covered in people's freaking laziness trash. And third, its an awesome example to set for your kids to buy and throw away paper plates every single day. Are these people just TRYING to piss me off?

3 comments:

Katrina said...

OMG, I am so with you. Ignoring your home to ONLY spend time with your kids IS being lazy. It teaches them that cleanliness and quality of (home) life aren't important. After almost 2 years of new-motherhood, I am finally realizing that a balance of home, motherhood, and work IS possible. You just have to work at it.

~Gretchen~ said...

hell, im ignoring my kids whether im doing the dishes or not.

actually, i have three kids--almost two, 4 and almost five. they ALL do dishes. even baby charlie. if you can walk, you can come hand mommy a plate. if you can talk, you can be told which drawer something fits in.

my kids love to cook. they help with everything. they sweep and mop and pick up toys to run the roomba. if i skipped all the household stuff, my kids wouldnt be learning how to care for themselves.

not only are they wasting money and killing the environment, they're missing fun times teaching their kids stuff.

Anonymous said...

I am laughing my ass off...

Thanks, Jaime.

I saw the same commercial (yes, while watching Jon & Kate) and thought of you. Seriously...

Abbi now washes dishes. She loves it. Lexi likes to climb inside the dishwasher and take dishes OUT of the drawer, but someday we'll wash dishes together....