Written by: Monica Palit (member of the Runnymede group)
I’ll admit I considered some of my “momisms” to be a bit extreme. The first time I took my newborn to the pediatrician, for example, I had insisted that he check my little one’s knees, convinced they were bowed and he would never be able to walk. I was promptly told that we do not in fact have rickets in this country and was sternly advised to “stop Googling.” 15 months in and with some mommy experience under my belt my search engine gets little relief.
Enter MumNet. MumNet has long been a community focused support system for new and veteran moms. The weekly meet ups provide some incredible bonding experiences, much needed venting sessions, and life long friends. Some go for the hour long work out, getting back into shape postpartum, or preparing their bodies for imminent birth. Others, like me, go for the discussions in the latter half. Circle sitting, sweaty, and gorging on long anticipated coffee, these pow wows are chock-full of tips and tricks for parenting.
Aside from garnering excellent advice around topics like how to rekindle the romance, meal planning, and managing post partum depression, my favourite parts of MumNet are the throw away, trivial comments in between the serious life changing, and sometimes life saving talks. These unguarded moments are what make you realize that you are not alone. There are others out there who can relate to your momma drama, who Google late into the night and, best of all, can have a chuckle over the production that is motherhood. To that end, I offer you some of the best comments overheard from our current MumNet group:
On trying to get rid of the soother: “I told him the raccoon ate it, and now he’s too afraid to go into the backyard.”
On baby proofing: “Never mind the safety, the best part about the play yard is that it’s aesthetically pleasing and fits with the décor of the room!”
On childcare: “My child goes to a home daycare run by a wonderful Indian woman. The only problem is that he comes home smelling of delicious Indian food, and I don’t get to eat any of it!”
On a girl’s night out: “My husband just FaceTimed to tell me our daughter threw up in our bed.”
On potty training: “My kid is potty trained now, but that means I have to take her into public restrooms. I should have kept her in diapers.”
….and my favourite: “I thought my daughter’s knees looked swollen. Googled it. Pretty sure she has gout.”
Have your own MumNetMomProblems? Let @MumNetToronto know and use #MumNetMomProblems
