Battle Cry of the Sloth Mother

I’m here to admit that I’m a Sloth Mother. With all the talk lately about Tiger Mothers, I think it’s time for Sloth Mothers to speak up.

I’ve come to realize that while my kids might be smart, they are not geniuses and probably won’t grow up to cure the common cold or AIDS or play a Chopin concerto at Carnegie Hall.

And that’s ok.

I’m not going to force them to spend hours upon hours doing math problems or practicing the piano or violin. With their school, my school, and work, who has the time for that type of devotion?

The things that concern me right now about my kids:

Are they learning what they need to at school? If not, what do I need to do to help them out?

Are they happy?

Do they have friends?

I also want them to be able to explore, learn how to be independent, and how to use their imaginations. I don’t think forcing Caitlynn to work on math for 3 hours at night will help her in these areas. Sure, she would win a few math contests but I’m guessing her creative skills would take a huge plunge. I'm in graduate school and with all the science courses I am taking this semester, I crave a creative outlet and I can see this trait in Caitlynn and Miles. They want to be creative and draw me weird pictures of robots named Steve with chainsaw arms (an actual drawing by Miles).  

As a Sloth Mother, I care about my kids and their well being. In their future endeavors I want them to be happy with what they are doing. The last thing I want is for each child to worry about shaming the family for not getting into an Ivy League school. Don’t get me wrong, I want them to go to college (far away from home, preferably), but some state schools are just as good as Ivy League schools. (Love and honor to Miami, a college old and grand…)

To me, success is not measured by the size of a paycheck or the diploma hanging on the wall. It is measured by the amount of joy you have in your life and whether or not you feel fulfilled. If Caitlynn would rather be an archaeologist working in Egypt (something she’s suggested), then I will fully support her decision to accomplish that dream. It’s her life and her path. Not mine.

Lastly, kids need to spend time being kids. Otherwise, they’ll grow up wondering where their childhood went and end up resenting you for it when they get older. 

So, yeah, I’m proud to be a Sloth Mother. I'm much more tame. I won't bite your arm off.

Free Blog Counter