Gold Star Club for All Parents

I don’t want to cut married parents out of this. I know that sometimes it is more lonely to be with someone than to be alone. I have certainly been there. I have been married twice- both bad choices for partners for me. Not completely terrible people, but that is another entry somewhere else. I know I am better off now and a better person for having divorced those men. I am much more confident as a single Mom than as a married Mom.

But regardless of all that, we do get tired sometimes of being the only tall person in the house who can reach the shelf to get the food, to make the food, to drive the car, to pay the bill, to lay down the curfew, to get them their prom dress, to talk to them about condoms, to kiss them goodbye in their dorm room, to get the call in the middle of the night…

I can’t help it, when I get tired, I want someone to hand me a gold star and say “Well done!” I am a confident woman with a professional job, and good friends. And yet… I still wish someone would tell me “Hey! you did a great job with that.” And silly me, I think married parents get them all the time. When I see couples at the park with their kid, I forget to realize that maybe she is pissed at him for losing his job, he may be mad at her for saying _____, and maybe it isn’t all fun and support and encouragement between them. Maybe their idyllic look isn’t really as lovely as I fantasize for them.

So we all need Gold Stars! We are all busting it for years, showing up and taking care of business. It is HARD to keep on giving and giving and giving. So Gold Star Club is here with support and encouragement and congratulations to you if you are still hanging on, no matter how skimpy the threadbare thread of a rope or a last toenail is.

Every now and then we need gold stars, a funny joke, a hug from beyond that says you aren’t alone, and a bottle of red wine to share with you so we can lighten the hell up. (I don’t know how to get you a bottle of wine here, I will try though!)