Perfection Pending

By Meredith Ethington

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Christmas In the Motherhood

Christmas toys are already broken (except for the ones I wish we had never bought)

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I think all the time, “I should really go write a review on that horrible toy”. Then, I remember I have 3 children, and doing anything is impossible. I’ve been trying to work out again since the new year started, and it’s the 9th10th. Yep. Haven’t done it yet.

At Christmas time this year with my husband’s family, we were all sharing memories of Christmases past, and one of his brothers shared about the year that my husband had every toy break on Christmas day that his parents had gotten him. His dad even went to the trouble of snow blowing the grass in the front yard just so he could use the one gift that hadn’t broken yet…some sort of soccer goal contraption. Which promptly broke. While the heartache of my husband at the time was I’m sure very real, I kinda feel more sorry for his parents.

My point is, I can relate a little. Toys suck. And, we (and by we I mean mostly my mother) spend way too much money on them. Since Christmas day which was 15 days ago, we’ve had 3 things break (one of which we attempted to fix with my husband’s surgical tools…I mean, really?), and 2 that I wanted to throw in the trash because it was almost immediately realized that it was a piece of crap toy that won’t last another 15 days. We spend all this money on toys, and then what? They want to play with the box it came with. (Is it worrisome that this is still a favorite thing for even my 6 year old?)

Exhibit A

The Flitter Fairy. Which, I will now re-name, the “I want to kill myself for ever showing my child the video of this ‘super cool fairy’ toy that immediately went to the top of her list and broke Christmas morning” Thanks a lot Santa. You jerk. This toy is so ridiculous that I can’t even begin to explain it. The super fine hair that is practically invisible to the naked eye that makes it so it really looks like it’s flying, is practically invisible. And, that’s not a good thing. Because it’s perfectly breakable and if you try and put said hair back together, it is very difficult to see that dang hair! Breathe on it and it breaks! The goo (I forget what they actually called it) that it comes with to attach said hair to the fairy stains your walls, sticks to everything, yet, would not stay attached to that stupid freaking fairy that it is supposed to stay attached to! And, last but not least. The dainty wand it comes with….broken. All of which resulted in us taking my husband’s surgical tools to try and rig some not very cool, totally visible, brown sewing thread to it so that we can pretend that it is still cool. Needless to say, she hasn’t touched it since.

Yet, she sure does love that alarm clock radio we got her.

I HATE the sound of radio static. And, radio commercials. And, many MANY of the songs on the radio (cue Taylor Swift’s Never Getting Back Together). But, the positive is that she is getting out of bed on her own on school days. Yay! But, that means I have to listen to the radio. A lot. And, it gets left on, all the time. And, as if my house isn’t noisy enough with three kids….now, I get to add to the background noise used car commmercials. Yippee! But, it hasn’t broken yet. That’s what is important. Right?

Let’s add to the list the batman mask that broke. The pirate telescope that is now rigged with scotch tape. *sigh* Why do we even buy them the toys? Let’s just order us something WE will like and give them all the bubble wrap for Christmas! They would probably love it.

Tell me I’m not the only one. What toys have already broken at your house? Or what toys are going strong and you wish they weren’t?


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Comments

  1. little poppits says

    January 10, 2013 at 10:17 pm

    I think the annoying furbys that santa got for my girls will last forever! help.!! x

    Reply
    • fakingpictureperfect says

      January 10, 2013 at 11:34 pm

      Oh my gosh. My kids want those too, and I took one look at them in the store and thought, no way! Is it true you can’t turn them off?

      Reply
      • little poppits says

        January 11, 2013 at 11:03 am

        yes! they go to sleep though! When they run out of batteries I take my time replacing them! x

        Reply
  2. lifewithpinkprincesses says

    January 10, 2013 at 11:10 pm

    You have very beautiful children! We bought Furbies for Christmas. NOISE!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Another Reason to Stop Helicopter Parenting. Kids Should Feel Fear From Time to Time. | Faking Picture Perfect says:
    April 16, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    […] for Christmas, she got an alarm clock. It was my way of letting go and letting her wake up a little before I go in there and starting […]

    Reply

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Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

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perfectpending

Mom • Author • Mental Health Therapist In Training
Grab my new book, The Mother Load, available now. 👇👇

Meredith Ethington
I wrote this a few years ago. It helped me process I wrote this a few years ago. It helped me process feelings of never measuring up and feeling lIke someone else would do it better than me. 
I don’t feel like this very often anymore. But I know that there are plenty of mothers out there that do. You aren’t alone. 
The experience of Motherhood is definitely something that humbles even the most confident mothers. 
I wasn’t one to have much confidence once I began but I got there eventually. 
If you’re in this headspace of wondering if you’re enough I’m here to tell you:
1. You are. 
2. This is NORMAL. 
3. This post is for you. 
Read it on my substack now and consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ❤️ It supports me as I hopefully support you.
I certainly didn’t. @a.mom.uncensored I certainly didn’t. @a.mom.uncensored
I see nothing wrong here. I see nothing wrong here.
Still not there yet. 😑 #ikea #momlifebelike #ik Still not there yet. 😑 #ikea #momlifebelike #ikeahack #jokesfordays
This was my mom’s desk when she was little. At s This was my mom’s desk when she was little. At some point it got passed down to one of her grandchildren. Then it made its way to my house and all three of my kids have used it too. 
My middle decided he was done with it and I had no idea what to do with it. It’s almost an antique at this point and I knew my mom felt sentimental about it. It’s heavy and tiny but it has good bones as they say. 
My mom lives too far away to come get it and the grandkids are all getting too big to want this desk in their rooms. 
I walked around my little house looking for a spot for it. There really isn’t one. 
Could it be an end table? Or swapped out for an entry table? 
But then I walked into my bedroom and saw this bare wall. It’s not ideal. My husband will hate it. But I’ve been thinking that I needed a study spot in my house (in a room with a door that shuts and locks) since I’m in school again at 46 years old. 
I’m hilariously too big for this little desk but also it seems just fine for sitting and writing papers. 
The older I get, the more I realize that this life is short and I’m sure it will make my mom happy to know I’m not only hanging onto this desk a little while longer but it’s going to be used for actual school work again instead of hoarding useless scraps of paper, half filled notebooks and dull crayons no one has touched in years. 
I’m breathing life back into this desk for a few more years and it seems symbolic of my taking something old (me) and using it for something new (becoming a therapist). 
I’m not super sentimental about furniture but I’m sentimental about the people that I love. 
She loves this desk so I guess I’ll love it a little longer on her behalf. ❤️
🚨Vulnerable post alert! My latest on substack: 🚨Vulnerable post alert! My latest on substack: "I feel depressed that it’s back, when I had been handling things so well.
I feel hopeless that although I know it will end, that it will come back again.
I feel embarrassed that I’m sometimes mean to the ones I love most.
I feel like I want to give up.
I feel tired.
I feel overwhelmed by the tiniest thing.
I feel alone. I feel like I’m literally the only one feeling that way in that moment even though I know I’m not deep down. But, anxiety makes me feel like that.
I feel like I just would be better off if I could disappear."
First day back after a week long vacay to the fun First day back after a week long vacay to the fun of carpool and the reality of being a responsible adult is kicking my boot-ay. Can you tell? 😅
Yup. 😂 @themumcrew Yup. 😂 @themumcrew
Best thrift find ever. 😂 Best thrift find ever. 😂
Mental health matters. ❤️ Mental health matters. ❤️
You get the full tour if you’re my friend. You get the full tour if you’re my friend.
Because apparently it belongs to no one. 😑 Because apparently it belongs to no one. 😑
Just like building muscles in our body, to have go Just like building muscles in our body, to have good mental health we need to build muscles in our brains as well. What does that look like? 

For me, it often looks like practicing things that make me uncomfortable. 
Saying no. Setting boundaries. Sitting in discomfort with feelings I don't like. Being OK if someone is mad at me. Learning to validate MYSELF. You get the idea. 
But, really it can be anything that you need to work on but makes you feel REALLY uncomfortable. So much so that it feels like your brain is literally rejecting it. If you want to build that muscle in your brain that is OK with disappointing people in favor of your own mental health, you have to treat it like muscle building in your body. 

1. Do it often enough. 
2. Start small, and work your way up. 
3. Go heavy when you're ready. 

Practicing it often enough is really when you're going to get big results. Soon you'll get used to those negative feelings that come along with telling someone no and knowing they're disappointed. You'll build up endurance to tolerate the feelings and be able to sit with them and let them go. And finally, it will become second nature to you to do all those things you didn't think you could do. Just like strength training for a marathon - consider strength training for your mind. 

One thing I'm working on is telling myself I'm OK. I struggle with seeking validation from others when really I need to be seeking validation from myself. Because MYSELF is good, worthy, and OK 99% of the time. 

What are you practicing right now? I'd love to hear if this is true for you.
Love this so much. @nellie_scales Love this so much. @nellie_scales
If you’ve loved anything I’ve written, conside If you’ve loved anything I’ve written, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber on Substack where you won’t miss any of my posts. Here’s the latest - link in profile. 

#mentalhealth #anxiety #depression #mentalhealthawareness #stopthestigmamentalillness
For the moms fighting all the battles no one sees. For the moms fighting all the battles no one sees. My latest on substack. ❤️ Link in profile
Truth right here. Truth right here.
Same girl, same. Same girl, same.
Yep. 😂 @sixfootcandy Yep. 😂 @sixfootcandy
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