Parenting Guru: I'm not like other moms - Are you?

When other moms are dishing out the latest gossip, making date night plans, and getting excited over the latest fashions for moms and kids, I can't help but feel out of place. The things I want to discuss seem so different and I am often way out of touch with what everyone else is interested in. I'm not like many other moms. In no particular order, here's five reasons why.

I don't look forward to dropping my kids off at school -- or anywhere. I'm all for quality education. In fact, that's one of the main reasons I used to be a homeschool mom. You'd think after all those years of seeing my kids all day every day, I'd be glad to drop them off at school every morning. I'm definitely glad they are getting a great education. But I'm never excited to spend the whole day without them. I can't relate to that relief many moms seem to experience when dropping their kids off at school or with the sitter.

I'm so lost with the latest gossip. I'll never knock those who are into it because we all have our own things. But I never know who the heck these famous moms are everyone is talking about. I don't even get into the business of the people I know all that much, let alone people I've never met. So when all the other moms are gossiping about each other and celebs, all I would have to offer is what I've done with my own kids -- and firsthand gossip is just, well..not really gossip. So generally I am sitting there with a blank face nodding and pretending I know what they're saying.

Date night? What's that? In our home, it's more like family night, but with a plural. When the other moms are talking about getting all dolled up and going out for a night on the town with their husbands, I can't relate. But wait, don't feel sorry for me yet. Our family values are just a little bit different and they work for us. We believe in doing things together, but that means all of us - not just me and the hubby. We used to have date nights without the kids but all we did is talk about the kids and wish they were there. So now they are. Problem solved.

"Play dates" are unorganized and don't have a formal name. When other moms are discussing Jimmy's play date with Sarah and Sam, again I cannot relate. We don't call it a play date when the kids visit with their friends and they are not planned and scheduled. It's more like this: "Mom can we go to the park? James says they'll be there." "OK, Honey, let's go" While other moms seem to be checking schedules and planning out specific play dates and activities, my kids and I are on the nature trails, playing games we invented, or going to the next thing planned at the last minute. We have never been to a "Mommy and Me" class, but we sure happen to have lots of mother and child time. I think those things are great for those who are into them, but they just aren't for us. As they say "to each their own."

I don't have a professional photographer. That's me. Some moms constantly ask me why we never go to a professional photographer. "Photos you take yourself are just not the same as professional ones," they tell me. I know they aren't. That's why I prefer them. When I look back on our old family portraits, I don't want to think of crying kids trying to straighten themselves in a studio. I want to think of all the fun we had together while I set the camera on auto to snap whatever we were doing that day. The picture you see in this post? Professional, right? Wrong. That was taken with our camera on auto while we were walking a nature trail.

I'm not like some other moms in these and other ways -- and I'm perfectly fine with that. I appreciate all moms for who they are. At the end of the day, we all may be different in various ways, but we all have the same goal - to raise happy, healthy kids and that can be done in so many different ways. Are you like other moms? Whether you answer yes or no, you can still be a good mom. At the end of the day, it isn't about where we go, what we're interested, and what we do. It's about the love we all give to our kids. If you do everything in parenting with love, you're a good mom.




More from Lyn:

Say What? That Wasn't the Plan...

Raising kids who love the outdoors

Positive Parenting: Why doesn't my teen trust me?

Lyn is a freelance web journalist, the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network, and a Y! Shine Parenting Guru. Contact Lyn for guidance in the world of freelance writing.

Lyn on Twitter:@LynLomasi