You're Still a Good Mother If...

Have you ever had one of those days?

I'm talking about days when everything in your mommy power deflates, disappoints, or distracts you from doing what you believe other moms would do for their children?

As a parent, those days happen a lot. Like when you take your kids to Five Guys because your spouse is away on business and you're too fried to cook? You know it's probably considered taboo to some Martha Stewart-like wanna-be mommies, but you're too exhausted to care? (I love this burger joint, by the way.)

I know you know what I'm talking about. Last fall, I started a series on my mommy blog, www.ventingsessions.com, called, "You're Still a Good Mother If..." to help justify some of those not-so-glorious moments that we experience as mothers.

I refer to it as the equivalent of free online mommy therapy. It's great for those times when you're too ashamed to admit something. But the moment you realize another mom or dad has experienced something similar, you feel an overwhelming sense of relief. You're a little less guilty. You're normal. You're a parent for crying out loud. Having a common ground with other parents can actually make you feel better. And for those new moms and dads out there, it can make a world of difference when it comes to your sanity level. Here is a sampling of my own below:

You're Still a Good Mother if...

- You eat the ears off one of your son's chocolate Easter bunnies and blame it on the dog when he asks about it.

- You closet eat your husband's Easter candy because he is on a sugar and chemical-free diet.

- You spray Fabreze on your daughter's workout pants 20 minutes before lacrosse practice because she's going to get them muddy anyway.

- You feed your kids dinner at 4:35 p.m. because of their practice schedule. Then you find yourself eating their leftovers over the sink at 5:15 and again at 7:45 p.m.

Please feel free to share your mommy justifications with me at http://www.ventingsessions.com.

These are the kinds of things my mommy blogger friend,  Jill Smokler, refers to in her new book, Confessions of a Scary Mommy. Feel free to join me at her book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Warwick on April 10 at 7 p.m. She's like a celebrity in the mommy blog community, but incredibly down to earth. I've recently guest-blogged on her mommy blog, www.scarymommy.com/target-whore/ and invite you to visit her blog as well as mine. Keep spreading the sanity, parents!

You are invited to my book signing for my new gift book, How to Spread Sanity on a Cracker, at Barrington Books on April 26, 7 to 9 p.m. I'll also be at Hollies on the Ave. May 17 from 7 to 9 p.m., with local artist Diane Stratton Ballou.