Navigating motherhood has assigned me a variety of roles: caregiver, chef, teacher, chauffeur, maid, and the occasional referee in sibling squabbles. However, I never anticipated adding the title of hypocrite to my list. I’ve mastered the art of double standards and often find myself embodying the motto, “do as I say, not as I do.” As the proud mom of two teenagers (with a third soon to hit the teenage milestone), I’ve learned that teens are expert hypocrisy hunters. Their eye rolls and snarky comments have made my duplicity glaringly obvious. Here are just a few ways I’ve become the biggest hypocrite ever:
- Responsibility for Belongings
I expect my kids to take charge of their belongings. After all, they’re not toddlers anymore; it’s time they learned personal responsibility. Yet, I hear myself saying, “Have you seen my favorite shoes?” or “Where are my car keys?” at least ten times a day. Ironically, my son recently echoed my own words back to me, “It’s not my responsibility to keep up with your stuff!” Oops. - Preaching Portion Control
I stress the importance of portion control when it comes to snacks. If the package says a serving is three cookies, then that’s all they should have. It might make me the meanest mom, but I’m just trying to promote healthy habits. And then I find myself sneaking in a third glass of wine after the kids are asleep—because that definitely doesn’t count as hypocrisy if I’m not caught, right? - The Importance of Manners
I constantly remind my children how crucial it is to be polite and respectful to everyone. Manners are what distinguish us from animals, after all. But when a driver cuts me off, I’m not exactly holding back my colorful language. - Encouraging Cleanliness
I often tell my kids how vital it is to keep their space tidy. With a family of six, it would be chaos if everyone left their belongings scattered everywhere. But my own dirty socks? They’ve been lying next to the computer for days, not to mention the piles of clean laundry I still haven’t folded. - Limiting Screen Time
I often encourage my children to find better ways to spend their time than watching TV, urging them to go outside or read a book instead. Yet, I find myself glued to Facebook, scrolling through endless posts and memes like a mindless zombie. Grumpy Cat is just too good to resist, right? - Caution with Social Media
I’ve lectured my teens about being careful with what they post online, warning them that once something is out there, it’s permanent. Yet, here I am, writing a mom blog for everyone to see—talk about sharing personal information!
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Summary:
Being a parent can often lead to moments of hypocrisy, as we navigate the challenges of raising teenagers. From expecting our children to take responsibility for their belongings to quietly indulging in our own guilty pleasures, it’s easy to see how we sometimes fall short of our own standards. Finding humor in these contradictions can make the journey a bit lighter.