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Missing The Point of the Colorado Theater Massacre

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By now, we’ve all heard of the horrific shooting during a midnight screening of the latest Batman movie. Twelve people are dead and another 38 are injured. And you’ve most certainly heard that a 6-year-old and 3-month-old were among those rushed to the hospital.

What was your reaction to this? Shock? Sadness? A sick feeling in the pit of your stomach? Or were you too busy judging to even feel those things? For all the “perfect” parents in the world, this is apparently the time to slam the parents of those kids hurt in the theater shooting. Since “perfect” parents have such perfect children, they have time to point their fingers and shake their heads at the parents whose children suffered in the hands of a killer. “I can’t believe those kids weren’t in bed. It was after midnight!”

You know what I can’t believe? The fact that anyone would even bring that up as a topic of conversation right now. Forget the fact that a crazy person managed to walk into a movie theater with tear gas and a gun and open fire on hundreds of people. Forget the fact that dozens of families are either mourning the loss of a loved one or waiting for updates on their loved ones in the hospital. Let’s talk about bedtimes instead. Heck, let’s talk about breastfeeding too! I bet you those parents didn’t breastfeed either. And I bet they let their kids watch more than an hour of television a day. Maybe they even let them eat cake. Bad, bad, bad parents.

What should we learn from this shooting?

That guns are too accessible? That there should be more security at movie theaters? That we should focus more on the treatment of the mentally ill?

I have no idea. It’s definitely a good time to think about all of these things and discuss them. But I’ll tell you what we should absolutely, positively not learn from this shooting: that kids who go to late night movies, or whose parents let them stay up past bedtime will be shot.

“Perfect” parents, I’m talking to you. Stop being so judgy, and try feeling a real emotion for a change.

Now seems like a great time to reiterate my stance on parenting: stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and focus on your own family.

Focus on your family

What’s your stance on parenting? Are you in the MYOB camp with me, or are you full of opinions that you love to share?

Zana’s Tantrum Made Famous By Mommy Shorts

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I think we all remember this picture of Zana throwing a tantrum at TJMaxx:

Zana was already famous among our friends and family for her epic meltdowns, but thanks to Mommy Shorts, she has hit Suri Cruise status. Zana is on the homepage of Mommy Shorts for a caption contest, and I would love it if MomInDCity readers would add to the list. There are already some hilarious entries, including:

  • “I would rather take a nap than buy Hannah Anderson at a discount!!!”
  • “Don’t push your style on me woman – I will rebel.”
  • “You expect me to wear that! Juicy is so last season!”

And, since Mommy Shorts is legit, this isn’t just for entertainment; the winner gets a gorgeous $295 Hampton Tunic silk maternity dress. Not pregnant? So what?! You our your teenage daughter will be one day, right?

MomInDCity is too broke for prizes, but you can also enter a caption for the pic below in the comments section. Zana has been showing her stuff during out Bethany Beach vacation. Check out her latest meltdown outside of Grotto Pizza:

Latest Tantrum

The Mommy Shorts caption contest ends Friday, but mine goes on for all eternity.

At The Doctor and Suddenly Not Sick

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Does this ever happen to you?

Your kid is miserably sick. They’re coughing all night, sniffling, sneezing, running a fever, maybe even throwing up. And then you get to the doctor and they act like the happiest, healthiest kid that ever lived?

That happened to me yesterday.

After five days of sickness, I tried calling Zana’s pediatrician; they couldn’t fit her in for an appointment. They must have used their psychic pediatric superpowers and realized she was fine, but I wasn’t convinced. I drove all the way to Laurel, Maryland and took Zana to Patient First; it’s my favorite urgent care facility– they get you in and out fast and it’s definitely worth the 30 minute drive from the Hill. This was the scene while we waited for the doctor:

“Mommy, take my picture!”
“Mommy, I wanna take your picture!”

I swear this kid was miserable all day. The doctor checks her out and tells me she’s fine. It’s a virus. He must think I’m a first time mom because he also tells me that it’s normal for toddlers to get colds (um, thanks). Then he says to elevate her head while she’s sleeping, use saline nose spray and make sure she drinks fluids. I’m sure glad I wasted 3 hours of my life on this trip to the doctor. Zana should be grounded. At least there’s a Chik-fil-a in the Patient First parking lot. I got myself a lemonade and Zana a chocolate milk and called it a night… and not another long, sleepless one! She’s all smiles this morning. How about that…

Hop On The Bus, Gus… Along With My 5 Year Old

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You know that Paul Simon song, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover“?

Hop on the bus, Gus… no need to discuss much!

My parents used to sing it to me when I was little, growing up in Texas. I started riding the bus to school in second grade. And even before that, I rode the bus every summer to YMCA camp. There was a lot of bus riding going on, and that seemed to be a good theme song. Well, that and Rod Stewart’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” but we’re talking about buses so that doesn’t apply.

Here in DC, where public transportation seems to be the norm for most adults– the thought of putting your kid on a school bus is a big deal for many parents.

Lira has been riding the bus to summer camp in McLean, Virginia for three weeks now. It’s a 30 minute ride each way.

A few Capitol Hill moms asked, at the end of the school year, what Lira would be doing this summer. And their responses were almost always the same– the camp sounded cool but McLean is too far to drive. And a bus??? Well, that was out of the question.

  • “You’re putting her on a bus? Across town?”
  • “Wow. More power too you. I don’t think I could put my kid on a bus.”
  • “Are you sure it’s safe?”

Dave’s mom was the worst, though:

  • “I just pray to God that bus doesn’t get into a wreck. Or get caught in traffic in the 100 degree heat.”

Um, yeah. Thanks, Nana. Is riding the bus really any worse then me driving her somewhere? Especially with my morning vodka habit (I should probably tell you I’m kidding). The scary part, for me, wasn’t so much safety; it was the thought of her being grown up enough to ride a bus without me. When did that happen?! [Read more…]

You Can Never Have Enough Sunscreen

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We’ve been hitting record highs in DC all week, and I have the beginnings of a tan to prove it.

You may have heard of the debate about whether sunscreen is good or bad for you. It protects you from the sun. It’s made up of too many harsh chemicals.  Blah, blah, blah…

I haven’t really thought hard enough about this to have an opinion, but apparently Zana has:

Slathering it on

Zana votes yes to sunscreen. Lots of it. Applied all at once. She’s going to have an awesome farmers tan on her left leg, and I’m going to go broke buying sunscreen.