Thursday 26th January 2017
Six sentence challenge:
The prompt today is : "given"
Staring at Tamara sitting quietly, playing with a jigsaw puzzle, Tracy asked, Lisa, half in jest, what she had given her.
Seeing her daughter calm and happy just made her feel more inadequate as a mother.
Tracy had decided it would be easier to go back to work than wear herself out trying to cope, by herself, with her hyperactive daughter.
Finding Lisa was easy and although she assured Tracy that, having had five children of her own, she would have no problem with three year old Tamara, Tracy was not convinced.
But now, as she walked home in the rain, she struggled with feelings of failure , overwhelmed her, even though in her work she was a respected, highly motivated professional.
She might well be able to hold her own in a firm of solicitors, but what good was that when, in the one area of her life that mattered to her most, she felt completely out of her depth.
One just never knows what someone else is feeling .
ReplyDeleteChildren always behave better for others, they know mama has to love them, but the strangers just might not if they don't behave. It's why children have meltdowns when they were happy two minutes before mom shows up. It takes a long time for many mothers to learn that, and to realize it doesn't make you a failure.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a true to life story for most mothers I think, Marian. It's easy to feel like a failure when children behave so much better for Dad or Grandma or even a stranger, and when you are a working mom you are scrambling to try to keep all the bases covered and are tired by the end of day. I did my very best as a Mom when my kids were young, but there are things I wish I would have done differently or better, yet both of them would now tell you I was a great mom and they have good childhood memories. I think that the Mom in your story is too hard on herself. We all just do the best we can at the time, and I bet it will work out fine. Good story!
ReplyDeleteYou titled this story well! It is a sinking feeling to watch someone do something with apparent ease when you are struggling to do the same. Of course Tracy wanted her daughter to do well with the babysitter, but at the same time she made it look easy. I'm betting there were days when it didn't go that smoothly but Tracy just hasn't walked in on one of those moments yet. Why is it as women that we are so quick to judge ourselves harshly? I think we need to be taught from early age on that we are ok, and that others who seem to have it all together probably aren't quite so perfect as they appear either.
ReplyDeleteTugs at the heart.
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God bless you.
Just as long as we do the best you can for those that depend upon us.We can't give what we don't possess.What a thought provoking piece.
ReplyDeleteClick here to read my six!
You have penned a very heartfelt story, my friend. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThat one does tug at the heart.... Ive always been one of those"i have no business being a parent" people...no kidding when people call it the toughest job. Best, but tough!
ReplyDeleteGreat story that shares the feelings of many mothers, I suspect. There are always some moments of doubt about how well one is doing as a mother, but then there are those special moments when a mother has the calming reassurance of the love the child has for her, and that makes it all the more worthwhile to keep trying to be a better mother and to hang on to that memory.
ReplyDeleteI think you struck a chord with moms today! Parenting is not an easy task.
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