I was reading an
essay on motherhood by a cute-as-can-be 22 year old mother of twin boys that are close in age to my little guys. The essay is about the love a mother feels for her children, and also about judging other mothers. Perhaps I have been exceptionally blessed, or at the very least exceptionally naive and/or blind to the thoughts and/or words and/or actions of others, but I have yet to feel judged for my choices as a mother.
Here are some facts that might garner some negative feedback:
- Fact: I waited until age 30 to have kids
- Fact: I gave birth via c-section without even TRYING for a vaginal delivery
- Fact: I only breastfed my kids for 6 weeks
- Fact: I work full time to support my family
- Fact: I only took 6 weeks of maternity leave (when I could have taken 14 weeks)
- Fact: I don't always lock my door
- Fact: I let my kids lick rocks
- Fact: I pay someone to clean my house rather than do it myself
- Fact: Baby bedtime is often my favorite time of the day
- Fact: My kids are probably cuter than your kids
- Fact: Even though I can't love my kids with all of my time, I still manage to love them with all of my heart.
I worry that I haven't faced the working mom prejudice here in California that I might face in Utah. The author of the essay I mentioned above lives in Provo, the city that we hope to inhabit in just a few short months. But here's the thing; I don't want to live in a city of judgy mcjudgersons. Is everyone really all up in each other's grills about various life choices? Or is that young mom just making judgements based on a shorter journey in this big crazy world? I think I might have made similar judgements with a decade less experience.
So tell me, is Provo Judgement City, USA? Or can this remarried old working mom of twins catch a judgement-free break?
