Whoduhthunkit!?

I have several bloggers that I like to read on a daily basis. They keep me in touch with other real people and they make me laugh as well as reminding me that I am not alone in this incredible circus of life. I always appreciate the ones that make me laugh and sometimes I appreciate the ones that make me cry. I read one this morning however that made me MAD so I thought that I would put my thoughts about the subject here in case there are other Mom’s out there and they share the viewpoint…and maybe we can stand up in support of this fabulous woman/Mom/blogger who was thrown to the lions at NBC.

To first read what caused me to gripe in the following paragraphs please go head on over to Melissa at Suburban Bliss and show her the love. Girl *smacks a high five and then snatches a hug* I am HERE for you.

So…do YOU drink around your kids? One drink? Two? Do you get sloshed? Are you a puritan parent who believes that every SUCCESS your child has is YOUR CREDIT and every failure YOUR FAULT? Me? I drink in front of my kids. SOCIALLY. I am an example of how to drink SOCIALLY. I go to BBQs and I tip back a beer or two and I have laughs and I CONTROL MYSELF and my children watch me (or not - I am not the sole focus of thier attention) but they DO hear me say "No more thanks - I am AT MY LIMIT." and they see me walk straight and sober home to our house (I do NOT drink and drive but that’s mostly because I also know that I have CHILDREN to transport and they are at my mercy when they are strapped in so no…not even ONE drink when I have to drive.). My children have learned that it is COOL to cover your glass with your hand or shake a finger no-no and say "No more thanks" because OTHER adults respect that, nod, and we continue to HAVE FUN WITHOUT ALCOHOL. ‘Cause we can. We know our limits and respect the limits of others.

My husband drinks around our children too and they have heard HIM say both the "No more thanks." and the "I can’t, have to drive." and they learned that MEN as well have limits and that it us up to both a man and a woman to ENFORCE their limits and that parents CAN do this all on thier own without a "Professional" such as a psychologist telling them about HEALTHY ways to relieve stress. Our children have learned that stress exists and sometimes people YELL and sometimes they pout and sometimes…sometimes…they find relief in a  few laughs with great friends over good food and a couple of frosty beers…and that PART of the stress relief is having fun watching our kids have fun with our friends’ kids while WE have fun. Good times, memories, family outings, and nights playing flashlight tag while the grownups sit around the fire-pit laughing (and NOT accidentally charring the children because they had a beer).

Have my children seen either my husband or I inebriated? Yes. The weekend we buried my father in law my husband got drunk and they learned that Daddy definitely did NOT like being drunk and Daddy told them that drinking did not make the pain go away no matter how hard he had tried. Were they scared of Daddy? No. Did Daddy "parent" while he was inebriated? No. I did. Did Daddy EXPLAIN what he had learned to his sons? YES. And they will REMEMBER it when they are tempted to drink to forget. Maybe. Because what kid remembers EVERYTHING they are taught and frankly my husband wasn’t so frighteningly drunk that it would leave a mark. He was drunk enough to cry in front of his sons. That was enough. Have I gotten inebriated in front of my kids? Yes. When my sister was there the weekend after my husband deployed because I was scared and mildly hysterical and I had family around me and frineds who could BE the BABYSITTERS because I am not a babysitter no matter WHAT anyone else says. Did I explain it to them? Yes. Did I show them it didn’t work? Yes. Did I parent while I was inebriated? No. Because I know my limits - penis or not.

So Melissa my dear I have a drink or two in front of my kids and I do not get drunk and I parent and my kids learn that one CAN drink socially AND be responsible and be COOL enough to say NO and that Mommies and Daddies can SOCIALIZE and be HUMAN after the children are born and AROUND their children. I stand with you and whenever you wish I’ll share a big old Momtini with you - stirred not shaken, because I think those jackholes at NBC shook you up enough. I believe we can manage to not dip our kids in chocolate and sell them on Ebay DESPITE our one drink apiece don’t you?