Phew! So hopefully by now we have reached LA in one piece & if we haven’t landed in one piece then this is weird that I’m talking to you from the future, but I’m not in one piece…spooky. The next guest blogger is Jenni from Mommy Nani Booboo. And if yesterday I showed you a hometown favorite, today I am bringing you a favorite from my new hometown. I love the way Jenni writes. And whenever I read something she’s written I start to wonder if she’s clairvoyant or something because I’m all “Oh my gosh me too!!!”. I hope you triple heart her as much as moi.

Was that you at the playground?

I see a lot of parents at the playground.
I also meet a lot of kids.
I don’t however, meet a lot of parents.
You see, the majority of parents seem to have developed the most annoying skill of talking through their children. I am one of the biggest offenders. I am quite often socially inept, but have no problem interacting with a one year old on the grass.
I know you do it too.

Me: (To the strange toddler) Hi, cutie! What’s your name?
Other mom: (To her child) Go ahead, sweetie. Say, ‘My name is Ella.’
Me: (With wide eyes, and a voice that is way too high) Oooh, Ella! That’s beautiful. (Completely ignoring the woman who named her.)
Other mom: (To her child) Can you say thank you?

This happens to me on a daily basis. Yet never have I extended my hand to the other parent and said “I’m Jenni, nice to meet you.”

I’ve learned about sleep patterns, been introduced to new snacks, found out where to buy cute shoes- all at the playground, from other parents, as we talk through our children… or from eavesdropping. I do a lot of eavesdropping. It’s insanity. Since becoming a stay at home mom, do I just not know how to speak to other adults?

As I write this, it occurs to me that I may even have run into one or two of you… and well, I’ve been feeling quite lonely lately, so let’s freaking be friends, and talk like adults, about adult things.

I hear a lot of snippets of dialogue at the park, and since I never actually ask any adult their name- I can only identify you by what I may have overheard you say. We might have different parenting styles, but here are things I’ve heard, and if it was you that said it- speak up! Call me! Let’s meet by the blue slide next time:

Riley! Do not shove your shoe into your brother’s mouth!
Two more minutes, and then it’s time for baby yoga.
Are your feelings hurt, Kenny? Shall we sit and talk about that boy that just pushed you?
I will whoop your ass if you pull your sister’s hair one more time! DO NOT TEST ME.
Get in the car now, or we will not make it home in time for dinner, and you will shrink from malnutrition.
OW! Fuck! I mean, fudge. Shit. Don’t pay attention to mommy.
Wow. Guess who gets another sticker on her potty chart when we get home?
What did you do with mommies’ coffee? Find it, or we will have playtime at Starbucks.
You better behave. Don’t think you won’t fit in that box we’re taking to Goodwill.
I’m sorry my kid just wiped a boogie on your purse.

If any of these were said by you… and overheard by me, then we’ve probably talked through our kids to each other. We may have even said some direct sentences to each other, without bothering to introduce ourselves. In fact, it’s possible we then bumped into each other at the store, and smiled as we quickly walked past each other.

What do you say we meet next time on purpose? We’ll still bring the kids as buffers. We may or may not get along, but we won’t know unless we actually talk.

I’m a stay at home mom.
I’m losing my social skills.

*extending hand* “Hi, I’m Jenni.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 at 8:00 am and is filed under Around The Web Love, Guest Blogger. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.