Today I’m Struggling With…The Patriarchy

There isn’t enough time in the world for me to address all the issues I have with society and politics at the moment. If we’re being fair it’s not really “at the moment,” but “at every moment leading up to and including this one.” I am a strong, smart, educated woman, and I believe that gives me a responsibility to do what I can to make sure people who are not as privileged as I am have the same or more opportunities than I have.

The fact of the matter is, my future happiness depends on feminism smashing the patriarchy. I want to be independent. I want to have a job. I want to decide whether I become pregnant again. I want to vote. I want to control my money. I want to continue my education. I want my children, as well as every other man, woman, and child, to have the right to make these decisions for themselves as well.

Since I don’t think I could possibly catalog every systemic issue that patriarchy creates in society, I’ve decided to put on my parenting hat and focus on something that is a near-constant talking point in our house: consent.

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Today I’m Struggling With…Santa

Santa? How could you be “struggling with Santa”? I hear the question you’re asking, and I don’t think it’s weird you’re asking it. All parenting struggles are unique to a certain degree. Every child is different, after all. But if this one seems more unique than usual, I understand. We’re weird. I’m weird. So this struggle might be weird too.

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Struggle Buddy: Today I’m Struggling With…Tantrums

I’m Alex, and today I’m struggling with tantrums. My daughter is in this super intense phase right now where she plays hard, laughs hard, snuggles hard, naps hard…and tantrums. Real hard. She’s the most delightful demogorgon you ever did meet. My sweet baby angel can go from zero to straight-up hell creature in the time it takes me to look at her the wrong way.

Watch it, Mother.

Tantrums are at once mind-bogglingly complex and infuriatingly simple. If you’re reading a mommy blog, you probably already know this, at least intellectually. Continue reading “Struggle Buddy: Today I’m Struggling With…Tantrums”

Today I’m Struggling With…Other People’s Kids

I don’t like kids. There. I said it. I have never liked kids. I don’t even recall liking kids when I was a kid. I’m the youngest in my family. I never babysat. Until I had I had a child, I was never around babies for any extended amount of time.

To be clear: I love my kids. They are the bee’s knees. The cat’s pajamas. My world. But in no way does that obligate me to like other people’s kids, or as like to call them: OPP (Other People’s Progeny).

No. Actually, every interpretation of that acronym makes me uncomfortable.

Now that I’m a mom, I feel like I am expected to gush over everyone else’s kids, to find them endlessly charming simply because I have one (or two) of my own. And that’s just not the case. My coworkers have kids. They’re fine. My sister’s friends have kids. Cool. H has preschool friends. Neat. The case just remains, if I’m completely honest with myself, I don’t like kids.

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Today I’m Struggling With…Potty Training

Let me start by saying that potty training my son took approximately six months, and I ended up in therapy before it was all said and done. SOOOO if you’re here because you’re at your wits end and have never been so frustrated in your entire life, well you’re in the right place. I can’t promise I’ll fix your issues, but maybe you can find a new approach and feel comforted by my commiseration.

Me, during potty training, month 5.

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