In today’s world, medicating a child who may not need it (think Benadryl for a long flight) can be considered a passive form of child abuse. Meanwhile, some parents fear social services if they feed their kid too many Twinkies. Forget about it if Junior’s food isn’t grass fed and organic.
So how bad is it if I knowingly take care of my kids when I have a hangover? It’s going to happen this Saturday. My husband’s annual Christmas party is Friday night. With holiday festivities in full swing, I can’t be the only parent who will suffer from parenting after partying.
Whenever I have a hangover, the slightest complaint such as, “My Lalaloopsy lost her legwarmer”, sends me into a muttering frenzy. My temper is short. My patience is thin. I can’t hide my irritation when my son gargles his milk.
I am not the best mom when I have a splitting headache, and I’m a little nauseous. Yet, I partake at the holiday party anyway. For me, it doesn’t take much to set a hangover into motion.
I rarely drink alcohol at all–especially not before preschool drop off. But it does happen this one time every year. Company holiday parties can be stressful, and I need some bubbly to be bubbly. Other parents find themselves drinking to make merry with friends over appetizers. Still others accidentally drink too much wine on a weekday while cooking hot dogs. Whatever the reason, ’tis the season for another round of cocktails.
I just have to mentally prepare for a not-so-great Saturday. I will have to come up with coping strategies. Like, I vow not to raise my voice or throw stuffed animals. I will not feel guilty when I pass on playing Candy Land because that game gets on my nerves. With a hangover, we’ll eat Eggos for breakfast and go to Toast for lunch. I’m thinking we’ll order pizza later and watch too much TV all day long. We can definitely skip baths for one night if needed.
On Sunday, I’ll make homemade organic buckwheat pancakes once again. I’ll even suggest we play Candy Land. Surely, I’ll be all cheers by then.
(Excerpt photo: Flickr/TinyTall)
I’ve been doing it for years, slam down a few cocktails when you get up and you’ll be fine.
Am I the only one who thinks this post sounds a bit nuts? Wouldn’t one of you be sober for driving anyway? So one of you could surely hold down the fort for one day. No? I really see way to many irresponsible parents and drinking going on. So much talk in this town about waiting for 5:00 to have a cocktail. I find it so ridiculous. Can people really not deal with their lives without alcohol? I find it nice to have a glass of wine or two a few times a year, but I am surely thankful I don’t “need some bubbly to be bubbly” as this writer states. Wow.
I definitely need “bubbly to be bubbly” – great line Kristen.
(Shhhh…. qby33, She’s being irreverent, you know, one of those “cool” blogger types…)