I know I am screwing up, it's just to what degree

OK people, have a seat (although you were probably already sitting down) I have something pretty shocking to tell you.

Are you ready? OK, here goes ... deep breath ...

I am not perfect.

Mind blown right? How can this be? I mean you already know my grammar, punctuation and sentence structure skills are a beautiful sight to behold. And just last night I took a quiz and discovered that I AM smarter than a fifth grader in spelling. (We won't mention history, social studies or math ...)

But alas, I am not perfect. I know it is hard to believe but it is true. Just ask my kids.

See, I have already resigned myself to the fact that I have, and will probably continue to screw up my kids. That may sound horrible to say but it is true. That doesn't mean that I am a bad parent or anything, we are just imperfect beings and so the probability of us raising a perfect being is very slim. (At least I think it is. I could be wrong. I am in fact NOT smarter than a fifth grader in math as you remember.)

And if you think you are the one parent out there who is NOT screwing up your kid and you have this whole parenting thing down cold, let me be the first to burst your bubble - you're not. I am sure you are doing a wonderful job and your kids are smart, funny, caring, wonderful little humans just like mine are - they are just a little screwed up too.

This winter I know I have done a little mental damage to my son.

See, I could have sworn I had a pair of snow pants that fit him. I just knew I did. But after the first flakes finally fell in our little hometown and it was time to send him to preschool ready to romp on the snow, I quickly learned that in fact we did NOT have any snow pants for him. And by then all the good parents out there had bought up all the snow pants in his size. Parenting fail.

After further digging however, I did discover that we did in fact own a pair of snow pants that would fit him. Huzzah!! Crisis averted! The snow romping can begin! Well, yes, except that the pair of pants we had belonged to his older sister and were purple. Opps! They fit though and have a lot of wear left so it seems only right that he should use them. Especially since he didn't have another option.

Now let me just say this. I am not a gender stereotype pushing person. I like that my son plays with dolls and my girls ram cars together. Pink does not equal girl and blue does not equal boy. Girls can do/wear anything boys can do/wear and vice versa. So I know there is nothing wrong with him wearing purple snow pants. But it is a tad funny. He has this red and black coat, Batman boots, Spiderman hat and purple snow pants. (It's a good thing he is four and can still pull it off.)

Luckily he has been a pretty good sport about it. He doesn't really like to wear them, but he knows he doesn't have another option. On the way to school one day I looked back at him in his purple snow pants and a pathetic little look on his face and I told him "one day you'll be able to lay a guilt trip on me about the time I made you wear purple snow pants." He has no idea what I am talking about now, but by 15 he'll get it. And it will probably work too.

I just hope I remember to get him a pair of new snow pants next fall when they are still available. Or maybe I should just buy black snow pants from now on and cover all my bases. They are gender neutral, hide the dirt and are a slimming color. And what preschooler wants to worry about looking bulky when they are playing in the snow!