By: Jessica Ray
It all started off on a pleasant note. My partner and I were lounging at the edge of karate practice, enjoying a quick dinner from our favorite fast-food joint. I handed some fries to our little one strapped in the stroller and sent a thumbs-up toward our 6-year-old, all while my partner and I shared some light-hearted banter about our Monday evening routine.
As I reached into my purse to grab my phone, I felt something unusual. Instead of the familiar texture of my device, my fingers plunged into a warm, sticky substance. I recoiled, revealing my hand covered in grease and a half-eaten fried apple pie. It’s one of my partner’s guilty pleasures, but why was it in my purse? And how did it end up on my hand?
In a low, incredulous whisper, I questioned him, “Why would you put this in my purse? It’s a half-eaten pie!”
With a nonchalant shrug, he replied, “I didn’t want to stuff it in my pockets. I just tossed it in yours.”
“Did you consider the trash can?” I shot back, but he merely stared blankly at me.
“Ugh. We’ll discuss this later,” I huffed.
Once home, we had a heart-to-heart about respect and the appropriate use of trash cans. Then, I emptied my purse onto the kitchen table. To my astonishment, along with my essentials, I discovered his phone, wallet, keys, and lip balm. I also found six Hot Wheels, 15 Pokémon cards, four random rocks, and a pair of boys’ socks. Yes, a pair of socks! Clearly, my purse had transformed into a dumping ground. I didn’t even check if they were clean; I just tossed them into the washing machine.
This, dear moms, is what I call “the family purse.” It’s when family members casually drop their belongings into our bags without a second thought, and we end up carting all their stuff around. And honestly, I’m over it.
My purse is meant for my essentials: phone, wallet, hairbrush, and of course, snacks. Somehow, it morphed into a transport system for all things needed and unneeded. Need sunscreen? Toss it in Mom’s purse! A water bottle? Mom’s purse! A slimy stick you might want to keep? Yep, Mom’s purse!
I realize there’s probably a deeper issue here about how I’m carrying their burdens or how they rely on me too much, but I’m not going to dwell on that now. Every family has its quirks. My goal is to reclaim my purse’s original purpose and lighten my load a little.
So now, when we return home, I zip up my purse and put it away to prevent any sneaky items from being stashed inside. I take out anything that mysteriously finds its way in. I encourage my partner to use his pockets and play a game of “Do you really need that?” with my 6-year-old before we head out. He likely won’t read all those books at the park, but they’ll definitely end up in my purse on the way back.
And to make things even better, I’ve got two brand-new, stylish fanny packs hidden away in my closet as gifts for them. Now they can carry as many half-eaten pies and dirty socks as they wish, while my purse stays clean and clutter-free.
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Summary: In this lighthearted take on family life, Jessica shares her struggles with her purse becoming a catch-all for her family’s belongings. By implementing a few changes, she aims to reclaim her bag for her essentials and lighten her load while bringing humor into the chaos of parenting.