The Imperfectionist

I've been considering joining my town's chapter of The MOMS Club International.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I went to their open house last week, and felt really nervous about it before I arrived. Here are some reasons for my nervousness:

1. I'm young(ish)
2. The technical term for my socioeconomic status is "broke-ass"
3. I don't have a college degree
4. I'm unmarried
5. My kids sometimes wear dirty socks

I pictured the members of the MOMS Club to be older, wealthier, and, well, classier than me. Need a visual? I shamelessly wear un-hooded sweatshirts that used to belong to my dad. Need another? I let my son look at the poop in his diapers because he always asks to see it. Whatever, it's fine with me.

I guess my point is that I'm an imperfectionist, and this even applies to my parenting style. I love my kids probably more than any other parent in the world, but I really believe that kids (and moms) need some slack.

Thankfully, there are apparently tons of other moms adopting a similar perspective. They're calling it Free Range Parenting. Although I wouldn't use that term to describe my specific (or unspecific) parenting style, I think it's back-to-basics approach is fresh, sensible, and ironically progressive.  It's liberating to know that I'm not the only mom who thinks that baby leashes are kind of fucking lame.

I mailed my application to the MOMS Club today. If I'm accepted, I hope the other moms will give me an opportunity that I did not give them: I hope they get to know me before they make assumptions. I have a lot to learn.