It so easy for us to be too hard on ourselves. Maybe it's just the Zoloft talking, but that's how I approach things over here. :)

My best friend and I just happened to get pregnant at the same time so we were lucky to be going through the same stages at the same time.

It IS totally different when they live with you. I love that comparison to the professional you.

You had me at: Public restroom at a university during student registration. Judgment abound. Single mother, working on second major for a career change. I had no babysitter.

I used to be you and you make me smile. Me: Masters in child development, 20 years working with our around children, taught child development for 8 of those years at a college, evaluated child development professionals for their licenses. Then I had a kid of my own.

Most of the comments on FB in response to the NPR story were of the "who is watching the kids of the single mom? How dare she be so irresponsible with her children" variety when this was posted a few weeks back.
It so refreshing to read the comments on Jezebel in regards to this topic.

Shit! I wonder what else she did to me?

Thank you! Even the college freshmen I used to teach knew that Wikipedia as a source would get them an F. This guy is supposed to be more educated than a college freshman, right?

I was thinking more like Bachman and what's-her-name? You know, The Witch Who Isn't a Witch.
Miss No-Masterbation? Crap. What's her name people? My old mind is blanking.

I was totally a Girl Scout and a teacher. Haha!
Seriously though, I never know when I'm going to be stuck somewhere with a nearly five year old who is acting like a crazy person. I keep those $5 Lego bags from the Target checkout stand in my purse and my glovebox.

My husband has a habit of buying me expensive handbags from Brooks Brothers (even though they secretly aren't my taste). My current wallet and handbag total $1200.
Inside this monstrosity is:
- $100 in knitting supplies and a Dartth Vader WIP sweater vest for the kid
- two coupons for free chick-fila
- five Hot Wheels…

I know a 95 year old woman named Agnes and she is a badass. I love her and her name. She still gardens everyday, teaches harp lessons, is the president of the Beethoven Club, and can cut you to the quick with pretty words and a smile on her face. Agnes's rocks!

My 4 year old son, with the carefully planned Hunzakut & Celtic names, informed me last week that he will only answer to "Cocoa Puffs Cereal" (first, middle, last) from now on. If I forget he says, "MOMMY! You forgot to call me Cocoa Puffs again!"
Kids currently being named "Agnes" and "Trader Joe" will probably beg to…

I'm recommending your story before I even get through the 1st paragraph because "we broke up 6 months ago Stacey".

DAMMMIT!!! That is fucking nightmare stuff! What happened the 2nd time???

Gah! I need that book ASAP. Funny, before reading all these comments I commented about empaths. I'm 40 and just discovered that I am an empath. I think I scared the daylights out of my therapist recently trying to talk about it.

Believe it or not I do this to my son ALL the time. The women and little kids in my family all seem to be able to do this. The girls don't outgrow it but the boys seem too. I often find myself thinking, "Don't think that or then you will have to do it". For instance, "don't think about going to the Children's Museum…

Maybe Mama laundered it first?

I recently spent $268 on a pair of Dansko heels that hurt my toes like the fucking devil. They probably will not be my last pair because they look cute with skirts and are the only kinds of heels that support my old, falling apart knee. Also, in America we can spend $300 on whatever the fuck we want.

Pardon me while I go vomit up all my rage.