This pretty much blew me away...secret mom confessions.

None of that particularly surprised me.

Totally agree with #1. I miss alone time. I feel like i'm never alone, even in the shower. If my 3 year old isn't in there with me, she's peeking in the curtain asking if I'm finished.

The breastfeeding one doesn't surprise me, but it does disappoint me. I think things like that are part of the reason why so few moms breastfeed past the first few weeks. I breastfed in all kinds of public places without a cover (also without flashing anyone) and no one ever said anything negative to my face. I did hear some passive aggressive comments, but generally ignored those.

#10.) They Use Their Kids to Get Out of Things. 84% have used their kids as an excuse to skip a social event they didn't want to go to. And 45% do that at least once a month.

Single father going on 10 years now and this one is magic!

This one's the one that resonates the most for me. I'd give up sleep for sex, though when they were babies, I would have given up limbs for sleep. Thank all gods that stage passes.

I have 2 kids and I agree with a couple of these (alone time)
but most are just wrong in so many ways.

Really? I would have thought more people would want boys. I'd never want to raise a girl.

Wow... so sad....... I don't even know how to respond to some of this.

1.) They Want to Be Left Alone. -- This makes complete sense to me. Sometimes. Everyone needs some breathing room... it's not bad to want more alone time.

#2.) They're Weird About Seeing Other Women Breastfeeding. This saddens me beyond belief. Breastfeeding a child is the most natural thing to do, it's the best way to nurture and parent, and to have people feel awkward about it is awful. Breastfeeding is great, moms should be PROUD to breastfeed.

#3.) They Send Their Kids to School Sick. 49% of moms, or about HALF, have KNOWINGLY sent their kids to school while sick because they couldn't stay home to take care of them.-- I hate this bc my child has ended up in the hospital TWICE because of this. TWICE. The second time there was a cardiac unit(paddles) outside her room because they thought she was going to code the first night she was admitted. All because a mom or dad didn't want to keep their kid with a 102 degree fever home. P

#6.) They're Distracted by Technology. This one REALLY isn't cool. 5% say their child has gotten HURT because they were texting or web surfing . . . and another 18% have had a close call. -- I witness this at the playground all the time. Scares me more when I see this at the pool in the summer of moms with young babies. What's more important, that text msg or your kid's life?

#7.) They Medicate Their Kids More Than You Think. 18% have medicated their child before a long car trip or flight to knock him out . . . and 8% sometimes do it on regular nights at home. -- Makes me sad... and for the person who said it before a flight- that is scary. Studies have shown that people metabolize medicines differently on airplanes due to the altitude/pressure change and a normal dose at ground level can do some real damage in the air. I'd rather hear a kid scream on the plane that be worried that they'd never wake up. I also think knocking your children out for your conveniece is horrible. It sends a terrible message to your children that they aren't worth working with.

#8.) They Judge Other Moms Constantly. 88% say they regularly judge other moms. 66% say they judge a mom with a bratty kid, 37% judge a mom with an overweight kid, and 34% judge a mom whose kid is eating junk food. --- I judge the parents of bratty kids for not dealing with their kid- I fault the parent more than the child.


Now that I've upset more MFPers, I'll stop now......

I already knew that about sending kids to school sick but I absolutely go in the opposite direction out of courtesy to other kids and parents. My child has leukemia and everything my daughter brings home from school could land my son in the hospital. He starts pre-school next year and it scares me to death! If you are a parent who does this, PLEASE consider others. It may be a day home from work with a whiney kid for you, but it could mean a week or two in the hospital in dire circumstances for someone else.

I am so sorry to hear of your situation... Do you have the option to homeschool?? Just asking...

Thanks for the backing... I am not saying it isn't hard, and maybe I worded my heading incorrectly I apologize. I am not trying to start anything around here I just found it interesting thats all. I know working with kids on a regular basis is not parenting, but what I have to deal with stems from what happens, or doesn't happen at home. What I deal with is what kids do not feel like talking to their parents about. So really some of the situations I encounter are harder sometimes because I have to help the child unknowingly upon what I know happens in the home. I work with kids that have been raped and have lost friends to suicide among many other unspeakable situations. So what I am saying is if you want to trade places and talk to a 14 year old girl that has been raped for two years because her parents were to busy to pay any attention then be my guest. So yes I know how hard this can be and no its not parenting, but hard enough sometimes.

That's tragic, but not comparable to most parenting issues. I'm sure those issues would actually blow me away. The list posted? Not so much.

I've medicated my children!... Yeah, always gave them tylenol before their check-ups that included shots... LOL I do miss alone time & sleeping in. My boys are early risers.. always have been. Kept them home from school when sick... often experiencing lots of backlash from co-workers,.. (ofcourse the ones that did not have children). They just don't get it until they become a parent themself. Would never trade sleep for sex under ANY circumstance! Having a sex life is difficult enough having small children in the house. And sorry, but i'm totally against breast-feeding in public. I know it's natural,...yeah yeah yeah~ my family doesn't need to see you whip your tit out because your child needs nutrition~ that's what PUMPS are made for... give me a break:)

This is my soap box issue, so feel free to ignore me, I just have to respond.

I have never seen a mom just "whip her tit out" and I hang out with a lot of breastfeeding moms. Most moms who nurse in public do so pretty discreetly. They're not looking to be bothered or draw attention, they just want to get their kid fed.

Pumping is misunderstood by lots of people. You can build up a stash of milk for times when you're not there, but the way pumping really works is that you pump when you'd be feeding is your kid was with you. If you don't then you get uncomfortably engorged with the extra milk. In addition, many breastfed kids will not take a bottle from their mom. And on top of that, not all women respond well to pumps. I know this one from experience. It literally would take 5 or 6 30 to 40 min pumping sessions for me to fill one small bottle. I had neither the time nor patience for that when I was caring for a baby.

And because I find that most people who are against nursing in public have never seen anyone do it here. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LMNoqpAM4A

That's a video I made of how I nursed my daughter in public for discussions like this one.

I don't find most of these disturbing or surprising at all - just the ones about distraction due to technology and the medicating. It does bug me that other women are grossed out by breastfeeding - that's what your breasts are for not to mention breastmilk is really good for the baby. Women should spend their time breastfeeding their own children and supporting mothers who literally can't breastfeed and feel bad about it instead of bashing moms who breastfeed in public; I wouldn't give a child formula in public just to make others more comfortable.

And sorry, but i'm totally against breast-feeding in public. I know it's natural,...yeah yeah yeah~ my family doesn't need to see you whip your tit out because your child needs nutrition~ that's what PUMPS are made for... give me a break:)

Pumping messes with your milk supply and is for emergencies and when you can't be with your baby, not to make ignorant fools who think it's "dirty" to nurse in public comfortable. Here's a tip: the words you use can influence your thoughts, so maybe if you stop thinking a breastfeeding mom is "whipping her tit out" (I strongly suggest trying to stop thinking of them as tits entirely) rather than "feeding her child," you could be OK with it! It's not Mardi Gras. She is not trying to excite or upset you. It is straining me to be this nice about it, so I will now move on.

I just have to laugh at anyone who is "shocked" by any of these. I am horrified by people who send their kids to school sick for their own convenience and give them medicine for the same reason, but folks do it all the time. (Need I mention I am among the 88% who is constantly judging other parents?) But shocked? Try parenting for a few more years (or more than one kid) and then see how many of those ring true, gals. Also, if you do not use your kids to get out of dull social obligations and other things you don't want to do, you are missing out on one of the chief perks of parenthood.