Kyra Jacobs | Not Gonna Be "That Mom"

Being a writer is one of my many roles, but the most important role I play is as
mom to my two boys. Sporty kids ages 9 and 14, between school, band and soccer
they certainly keep me hopping. As everyone with kids knows, the whole parenting
thing (especially the single parenting thing) isn't easy. If a mom and/or dad
tells you otherwise, they're lying. Or delusional. Maybe a bit of both. Lol

That's why not a day goes by when someone isn't posting something on Facebook
about blowout diaper disasters, play date drama, or sports-related
something-or-another. The non-parents roll their eyes, the grandparents laugh at
their screens relieved those days are long past, and the singles just swipe on
by. It is what it is, and most of us wouldn't trade it for the world.

Except the diaper blowouts. We would ALL prefer to go without any more of those.

One of the hardest lessons for me as a new parent (and sometimes even as an older, wiser one), though, was learning how to be...or not to be. Working full time, doing the family thing, and writing in the rare, leftover conscious moments of the day can be a bit overwhelming at times. But you make do as best you can, trying to find balance (and then laugh when you think about the word balance, as it's a fictional beast romping in a field somewhere with unicorns and leprechauns.)

Ah, but then along comes "that mom". The one who seems to have it all together.
She's baking gourmet cookies for every school function, volunteering time as a
classroom helper, making hand-crafted goodie bags for school parties...

And you feel like the world's biggest parental unit failure.

If you're lucky like I've been, though, you have amazing friends to draw around
you in times of near-hysteria to remind you that you are in fact a great mom,
even if your donations to class aren't perfectly pressed and etched in gold.
Because guess what?

Most of theirs aren't either.

So instead of fretting and freaking out over the silly stuff, I'll keep on
trying to be the best mom I can to my kids in my own ways. Loving on them,
sneaking hugs and kisses when their teenage friends aren't looking (or maybe
when they are, just to be ornery), kicking the soccer ball around the yard.
Making memories and being there.

Surprisingly, none of my novels thus far have included main characters with
children of their own, only secondary characters with feisty tots like Macy in
my upcoming second Checkerberry Inn novel. Might be because for me, writing is
much like reading for most of you--an escape from reality, if only for a while.
I prefer my escapes to be screaming-toddler free, though your preferences may be
a bit different. (But I'm guessing not...lol.)

I've got a few story ideas tugging at me now, though, so maybe one of these days
I'll actually write a book that involves a little more parenting. But don't be
surprised if the mom in that story doesn't have it all together, either. Unless,
of course, she's riding a winged unicorn and tossing cookies made of gold into
the gawking crowd.

Happy reading, everyone!