Why have a “Neuroticmama” blog? Why be so self-referential, so negative, such a downer by calling myself neurotic? Well, who says “neurotic” is a bad thing? Maybe neurotics should be more proud, start taking to the streets wearing “Neurotic Pride” t-shirts.
Anyway, I’m not so sure I’m more neurotic than the next middle-aged American woman and mother. That’s much of the reason I’m writing this blog.
In the 11 years I’ve been a mother, I’ve met a few parents who aren’t neurotic and I want to know their secret. Oh you, not-neurotic mother: And how can you be a parent in America and not be full of angst, worry, doubt? How are you so calm, so confident, so self-assured? (Are confident and self-assured redundant?)
So I’m putting my concerns, worries, contradictions, and daily frets out there. I want to know things like:
- Do children raised with a religion grow up more emotionally healthy (mine aren’t and I suspect, if they were, they would be).
- Is a Waldorf education wonderful or freaky and fascistic?
- In what way, exactly, am I screwing up my children?
- Why do my children run around in restaurants when I never would have done that…and my wonderful parents didn’t even have to beat us. We just knew to behave.
- Isn’t there a better way in America to raise children? It seems we’re all so frantic and focused on the wrong things. I fantasize about a childhood past, where children run safely throughout the neighborhood and play, play play (no need for toys, for computer gizmos); where mothers don’t have to micromanage their child’s every play date and homework assignment; where there is space and time to enjoy our lives before they grow up and we grow old and it’s all over too soon.
-What should I make for dinner for the next 15 years?
