...who's the most paranoid mom of all?
Confession: I am a paranoid freak.
How many of you have been so nervous about an activity that one of your children were going to engage in, that all rationality and reason went totally out the window? This is what happened to me today.
My oldest daughter who is not yet 7 is going to day camp this summer. Today was pool day. Now, for many of you who own pools, or live near the beach, pool day probably sounds great. Yeah, it sounds great to her too. We have no pool. My mom has a pool, but she is an hour away. We live fairly near the beach- again an hour away. So, the chance to go to the towns swim club for camp today was very well received by the kids. It was well received by the parents. It was well received by the counselors. It was well received by the lifeguards- all 6 of them guarding the precious tots. It was well, well received by everyone but me it would seem.
You see, I am a paranoid freak. My daughter is just starting to learn to swim and be comfortable in the water. She loves the water. She'd stay in the pool all day, every day if she could. Actually, all my kids love the water. And, truthfully, it is not the water that I have issue with. If I were there, it would have been A-okay. No problemo. But, parents are not allowed to stay and tightly guard their kids during camp. Bastards! Something about having a place for that... it's called home... blah blah blah... whatever.
So, I begrudgingly took her to the pool this morning. She did fine. She had no problems at all. How do I know this? Because the counselors told me how great she did? Noooo. Because the lifeguards gave her the award for best new swimmer? Nope. Because she told me when I picked her up that she was just fine? Uh-uh. I know this because I went back to camp three times!!! THREE TIMES! Oh I'd circle the block, drive around back so as not to alert anyone to my extreme paranoia. I'd hide at the top of the driveway so as not to arouse suspicion that a would-be pedophile in a minivan might be parked in the lot spying on swimming children. But, I kept coming back. Three times in just under 3 hours I returned to spy. Each time seeing a smiling happy girl frolicking (an underused word in my opinion) in the pool.
Why did I do this? I knew deep down that nothing would happen. But the irrational, paranoid, ridiculous side of me kept saying "the moment you drive off she's going to slip on a patch of water and fall unnoticed into the deep end and drown." I know. I know. Just be glad you're not one of my kids. There's a reason that tag line up there reads as it does!
So, go ahead and tell me what a neurotic nutball I am. Or better yet, how about you tell me what neurotic nutball you are!?
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Mirror Mirror on the wall....
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19 comments:
I am completely paranoid, more or less constantly. Petrfied of ANYTHING happening - with me there or not. The drive round 3 times seems perfectly reasonable to me. Perhaps consider disguising yourself as poolside furniture for next time.
Well, I have always wanted to be a lounge chair. Good plan.
Pools scare the beejeebus out of me too. Now my dd is only 1 so it's a bit different for me but I can't see the worry leaving me anytime soon....like forever
I am soooo glad that I am not the only mom like that. My kids are now older 14 to 20, and I am still bad. Thank God for cell phones, because I call them all the time asking them where there are and if everything is ok. My one daughter is in college and I call her every Saturday and Sunday morning to make sure she is ok, because alot of drinking goes on over the weekend. I could go on and on. My husband thinks I am nuts. Thank you for makingme feel better about myself. Your new BFF Jane (janes blog)
Recipe Alert! Aunt Julie bakes a Strawberry Rhubarb pie at http://poprs.blogspot.com/2008/07/tasty-therapy.html. Check it out!
my oldest is only 2, and I am DREADING the day I leave him with someone else for an activity like swimming... or anything, really... heh... he's never been babysat by anyone but either my mom or my husband's mom. so paranoid freak? if you are, I am worse.
You sound like me! I am a super paraniod freak when it comes to my children. For example hubby took 5 year old on a burley ride yesterday and I was pacing for an hour! What if some old person did not see the bike trailer and ran it over? What if he was chocking on something and hubby just kept on riding? the chocking would nto happen because no fod in the Burley. I am going to be the super freaky mom who willnot let her children go to college because they might get hurt! I feel your pain, more then you know!
Paranoid nutball checking in! I probably would have done th esame thing with either of my kids. When my son first started school (he was 2 1/2 in Early Intervention) I dropped by the school unnanounced all the time, with my infant on my hip. Last summer when they took swim lessons at a nearby beach, while the other parents were socializing, I hovered right near where the lifeguard was working with my kids' class. I justify some of it because my son's got Asperger's, but my daughter doesn't and I do the same with her, so I guess I'm just part of the paranoid freaks club. Let's make non-alcoholic margaritas. (Can't watch the kids if we're all drunk.)
I can completely relate! At least once a week during the summer months you hear a segment on the news regarding the death of a child or teen who went swimming at a local pool! Any parent would be an idiot to assume that freak accidents can never hit close to home.
I just had this conversation with my Dad. We talked about how my sister and I would go to the community pool alone during the summer. I had commented that I don't think I would let my kids when they are that age.
Funny to hear, but my Dad didn't even know my sister couldn't swim and took swim lessons in the mornings!
So, I am paranoid....but it's a good thing. After that conversation I though to myself, my sister and I are lucky to be alive!
Been there done that! We must be sisters in the neurotic nutball society! LOL I am one of the PMB I had read your blog before and wanted to let you know it really is worth coming back again and again!
I completely understand your fear! I actually get very nervous when my Husband takes my boys to the neighborhood pool, or local water park alone. I'm alwasy scared and thinking something bad is going to happen. I've never snuck and checked on them though but there is always a pit in my stomach until they are home safely.
Thanks Jenn. I really appreciate the accolades!
It's hard to let go, isn't it? I can relate.
Omigosh I love this -- there's someone out there as crazy as me! (Well, almost.) I LOVE that you went back three times -- gotta do what you gotta do.
Hi.. I am a fellow PMB, Welcome to the group!
How is this for paranoid..???
My parents have an in ground pool and out of fear that my daughter will somehow escape from the house in the middle of the night and going down to the pool for a mid-night dip. She has never stayed overnight at their house. Would having her stay over totally benefit me. Of course! I just can't get over the pool factor.
Hi.. I am a fellow PMB. Welcome to the group!
How is this for paranoid..?
My parents have an inground pool and for fear that my daughter will somehow "escape" from the house during the middle of the night and want to go for a mid-night dip she has never stayed overnight at their house. Would having her stay there benefit me? Of course! I just can't get over the pool factor.
Sarah
i was not so paranoid until LAST WEEK! not trying to pimp my blog, but i just did a post on it... needless to say that i am very paranoid now. i really hope it calms down or my liquor intake may go up. lol!
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