The sheer effort of trying to be the "cool" mom has never appealed to me. Most days I feel like I'm barely managing "functioning" mom, and "cool" mom feels like a bridge too far after so little sleep and after keeping up with a non-stop toddler for days on end. However, as it turns out, even when you don't think you have the energy, there are times when you'll be the "cool" mom without even trying.
When I was still dreaming about becoming a mom, I thought I might manage to be a "cool" mom, and most of those dreams involved "cool" baby gear. Little did I know, "cool" baby gear goes out the window when your baby spits up all over your adorable baby bag or smashes a banana into the swishy stroller seat and you just can't be bothered to unsnap the 65 buttons on the cover to take it off and throw it in the wash. "Cool" mom? Yeah, not so much.
Luckily, there are little ways that you'll be the cool mom without even trying. When you accidentally bring the most random snacks to the playground or you show up to the playground wearing real clothes instead of workout gear because you forgot to change after work, somehow you'll turn into the "cool" mom without even meaning to. I say, call it a win and then call it a day.
When You Bring Weird Snacks Because That's All That's Left In The Cupboard
I once showed up at a play date with a baggie of frozen peas for my daughter. My friends thought it was some well-planned snack innovation, when, in reality, she was teething and this is all we had on hand.
When You're Lazy Or Rushed So You Let Them Wear All The Wrong Stuff To The Playground
We often show up to the playground with one or both of us wearing totally non-playground clothes out of a bit of laziness, because sometimes I don't have the energy to get both of us changed after work and before the fun starts. Sometimes it means you look like you're letting your child make these great independent dress decisions, but in reality the thought of wrestling a toddler is just too much.
When You Let Your Kid Make Messes Because The Thought Of Explaining Why They Can't Is Worse Than Cleaning It Up Later
I didn't think I'd be this mom, but some days it's just not worth it to try to explain to my toddler why she can't feed herself straight from the peanut butter jar, or why she can't dump her milk on the floor and smear it around with her fingers. It may seem like you are really chill and cool, but really you're going to be cursing your decision when you're mopping up milk in a little while. Still, 10 minutes of peace is more than worth it (in my opinion).
When You Give Your Kid A Treat, But Really It's For You
Giving my daughter a treat is often just as much for my own sanity as it is for her enjoyment. Once my daughter is a little older than a toddler, her friends are going to think I'm "very cool" when I'm willing to share my stash of chocolate, which doesn't take very much effort at all.
When You Really Listen To Your Kid
When you put down your phone and leave it there for whole hours at a time, and fully listen to your kid. That makes you a "cool" mom and only involves being with your child and shutting out the noise. Easier said than done, some days, but totally worth it.
When You Clearly Enjoy Spending Time With Your Child
That's my new vision for my daughter as she grows. I want to be the mom who clearly enjoys spending time with my child. If there's anything I want her future friends to see in me as a mom, it's that I spending time with my daughter brings me genuine joy.
When You Don't Mind Being A Little Dorky
My mom's enduring dorky-ness is one of my favorite qualities about her. The same is true about my friends' parents from when I was a child. Honestly, I still remember their dorky qualities fondly, from their hilarious catch phrases to their total lack of style game. Sometimes being the "cool" mom means not trying too hard to be "cool."
Check that one off the list for me!
When You Know Where All The Best Emojis Are
Works better for older children than it does for toddlers, for sure, but knowing where all the best emojis are and texting them (instead of real words, because who needs real words?) will make you the "cool" mom. And because you're a mom, you'll probably be using them long past when they're "cool."
