In his new book, Children at Play: An American History, Brown University historian Howard Chudacoff gives us the following late-19th-century snapshot of a mother-daughter outing to a city park: "The older person, quietly seated beside the footpath, is half absorbed in reverie. ... The other, left to her own devices, wanders contented within the limited scope, incessantly prattling to herself; now climbing an adjoining rock, now flitting like a bird from one side of the pathway to the other."

-From The Tickle Monster Needs To Lie Down Now

I found the following article interesting because it's been something I've struggled with for a long time.  Well, Since I've had my daughter at least.  I'm not very big on playing with her.  I remember when I was pregnant how much I looked forward to playing and I wanted to so much! But then I found out that I wasn't really that excited about it, oh the horror!

Yes, we hare having potty issues and I'm also having issues with a coworker who gives advice, which is fine, but I'm just not agreeing, at all.

For one thing, Charlotte is refusing to use the potty for her bm's and still grabbing a pull up when she has to go.  We've done many different things to change this from bribery to rewards to scolding.  None of it has worked (Char is almost 4 and a half).  It makes me chuckle because of all the crap my Mom gave me for not being fully potty trained until I was three.

I'm struggling with personal problems right now and it's made things much harder for me as a parent.  I'm trying to put the pieces together and understand what has happened and it's a journey I thought I might share, but it's personal and I'm quite honest.  

I also don't doubt that there are many women who have a hard time with motherhood just as there are many women who don't see it as hard at all.  Everyone is okay, I want to say this because this is a very personal entry and it's not meant to make a statement about other mothers, just me as a mother, that's it.

And please, I beg of you, no lectures and no scolding about my labor, my breastfeeding or any other choices.  I'm not soliciting advice.

Making "mommy friends" is something I have a tough time doing, too. Thank god for my fellow MotherTalkers... -Erika

I've had a very hard time making friends with my daughter's friends mothers.  I'm sure that my personal issues do not help (Life long depression, things not mentioned in "polite conversation") and my inability to feel all warm and fuzzy about parenting 24/7.  

I'm beginning to understand these feelings or lack of but I'm still having a hard time connecting with other parents.  I am terrible at small talk and I'm not overly concerned with my daughter's personal performance in pre-school (the only thing we've pushed her to do is to become her own person and to try to learn about what she likes in life.  We like to play, try to teach in fun ways and generally goof off with her).

I am also consumed with politics and I still hold on to my love of books, films, music etc.  It's impossible to hold a conversation about these things with the mothers I encounter and many don't really care about any of it.

We know the benefits of Breastfeeding and we are all aware of the current ongoing debate about its propriety in public.  Ultimately it's about wanting the best for our children without having to tie ourselves to a nursing chair in our homes.  Mothers want the freedom to do what they please, when they please.  Oh, like everyone else.

But I haven't seen much debate about the choices that are available for young children at Restaurants.  They're appalling.  Fried chicken?  French fries?  Pizza?  Hotdogs?