An Imperfect Real World Story

This is the true story – true story – of 1 former perfectionist-in-denial mother living in a house with 3 children, having these moments of their lives blogged, to find out what happens when people stop being polite, and tidy, and start getting real.

Because life is not perfect in the real world.

There is still this person in me striving for that picture perfect version. An absurd vision of clothes just so, house just so. She’s trying to hang on, but I think it’s pointless. Most days, I can barely remember to put my kids in pants, nevermind matching or running a comb through their hair.

I remembered everyone’s pants this time, though, and shirts and socks remarkably, when I turned around to pack my cell phone in my purse. What I forgot to set out were shoes, and Buzz took the opportunity to slip out of every article of clothing he could before I took notice.

“Put your shirt back on, and your socks, please”, pointing in exasperation to the pile he accumulated on the floor. He did as told, taking consideration with each. Except the socks were pulled on noticeably inside out. Normally, I would feel the need to fix this, if nothing else than to ease my mind. Inside out socks are the first sign of impending hoodlums, after all. Today and now, however, I simply praised the effort.

I helped slide his shoes on, they can get stuck in the back, and we left the house. Still with his socks obviously inside out, but only proud of both myself and him. Because maybe this is now perfectly imperfect. As long as he’s wearing pants. True story.

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