Tuesday, March 3, 2009

The Mommy Club

Ever since the boys could understand, we've had the same conversation every time we enter the mall: Stay where you can see me. If you get lost, find a policeman. If you can't find a policeman, find another mommy....

After gym class today, The Gremlin and I headed over to the mall to exchange my empty Clinique blush, buy a baby present, and generally kill some time.

After we'd gone about our shopping we headed to the food court. Gremlin got a Chick Fil A kid's meal and I got a crepe from Appleseeds. We sit down, I set out our food, and immediately, Gremlin realizes he has to go to the bathroom. Of course you do.

I look at the stroller, covered with jackets and Macy's bags and back at our two lunches. My options are to pack everything up and bring it into the bathroom with us (eww), scarf it down quickly, hoping Grem doesn't have an accident in the meantime, or leave it on the table. I go with option c and immediately look around for a mommy.

I approach two mommies sitting at a table with their kids and tell them that we've got to go to the bathroom now. They give me an empathetic look, ask where my stuff is, and ensure me they'll keep an eye out.

Such a small thing, really. But such a help. Mommies take care of people.

Where ever I am, I'm always aware of the children around me. Are they with an adult? Are they about to trip? Will they bump their heads on that corner? I'm the person that makes a point to tell that mom that her daughter in the stroller is only wearing one shoe. In some small way, I'm helping another mommy and making sure their kids are safe and well. And I'm hardly the only one doing it.

Motherhood is the earliest sorority. I think about The Mommy Wars, the PTO Moms and the Stepford Wives we hear about. But when it comes down to it, the vast majority of us are trying to do the right thing for ourselves and our children. We help each other and we make the world a safer place.

Find a policeman or find a mommy, indeed.

15 comments:

natasha the exile on Mom Street said...

If we're ever in such a predicament (and let's be honest, with my kid it's a question of WHEN not IF) I hope that he finds a mommy like you.

Kate Coveny Hood said...

So true! How many times have seen a woman looking frantic and connected her to the seemingly unsupervised toddler the just walked past. I can't take my eyes off of a lone child until I establish where the parent is.

This was brilliant!

{sue} said...

I caught a baby who almost took a nose dive out of his stroller while his mom was on the other side of a shoe store last week. We've all been there! It's so nice to be able to repay all the favors that have been done for me!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

You speak the truth.

anymommy said...

Yep. And I wish you were my neighbor

JCK said...

So true, and just one of the lovely things about being in the Mommy Sorority!

Anonymous said...

I have to admit I'm not as aware of the other children and parents when I'm out shopping. With two little ones running around it's a lot of work just keeping track of THEM!

Yup, there's also a good chance that I was the Mommy who's child almost took a nose dive out of the stroller. Except it was a shopping cart and I was looking at cheese, not shoes ;-)

Ellyn said...

Amen. Best club I ever joined!

Sarahviz said...

I wholeheartedly agree. When Baby wandered away from us at the Cape this summer (worst 5 minutes of my life, btw) it was a MOMMY who was holding his hand and walking him back towards us.

KC said...

I don't know, I don't trust all mommies. I may be just getting more and more paranoid with age.

I like the idea of a Mommy Club though.

rachel... said...

I think you're right. It's almost like an instinct that MOST of us have, and that benefits all children as a whole. Something about perpetuating the species?

I've given you an award at my blog! Hope you'll accept! :)

Jennifer S said...

Yes, exactly. It's a nice feeling, when we all look at it this way.

Anonymous said...

Amen, sister! lol..No, really, this is a great post. Women and mothers do tend to look after one another (the nice ones, anyway). It's a great feeling to be a part of such a wonderful club.

Anonymous said...

Yay for the Mommy Club. I have 4 kiddos and definitely help and have been helped. Isn't it just mommy nature to help each other? The judgemental moms just drive me batty. No mom, whether she's a working mom, a stay at home mom, a work at home mom or any other kind of mom should have to do it "alone". Any time another mom thanks me I always say, "We moms have to stick together", how true it it.

Kate

Swistle said...

TOOOOOTALLY. I tell my kids the same thing: find a mommy. The other day at the mall, a little girl about 2 years old was running through the crowds seemingly unattended, and it ELECTRIFIED every single mommy: all of us stopped and watched her until we saw that someone else WAS with her.

 

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