Dear Competitive mums,
I know what you’re up to. I know that you think you are slightly better than the rest of us and I also know that you think your pushing and shoving of your children’s lives is going to win you prizes. It won’t. I have an idea. I know you don’t think that I am worthy of such an indulgence, but you seem to have assumed I am not an educated person. I think maybe you aren’t used to being around people who can think for themselves…
Anyway, here is my idea.
Stop priming your children to push in-front of the other, more amiable children at gymnastics, in life and in dreams. Stop instructing your children to look down their noses in the same way that you do. Stop teaching them to judge and to condemn, like you have become accustomed to doing. Stop pushing and shoving your children to do more, more, more- better, better, better. Stop inflicting your own broken, unfulfilled dreams on your chidren and instead, open your ears. Listen to your children. Let them guide you. Let your children decide the path their life is to take before they break free from your route and carve a map that doesn’t include you.
Competitive mums- don’t push, push, push. Let your children be children.
Love from me.
ps if your daughters carry on pushing infront of MY daughter and looking at her as if she isn’t worthy, I will come and poke you in the eye.
Image source: cartoonstock.com
ghostwritermummy 
February 19th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
I’m guessing you won’t be signing up for Tiger Mum parenting classes then 😉
February 19th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
LOL I would have added the same PS!! Yes I think you get those same people everywhere and most of the children aren’t in the slightest bit interested in what they are being forced to do! Like you said, let children be children! I always complain about my daughter growing up too quickly and there is no way I shall force her to grow up quicker than she should!!x
February 19th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Bloody love it! I really hate the aspect of competition that seems to come so naturally to so many parents. Why can we not all just get along, achieve what we want to achieve, and do it all at our own pace?
Yes, my child is two and a half. No, she bloody well CANNOT count to ten in french AND german yet. Bugger off!
February 19th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
I have met quite a few of these pushy competitive people, not only Mums but Dads, Grandparents….co workers, friends…..I can’t stand the thought of imposing a “schedule” on my children, sending them to too many classes after school or at weekends would just make them tired and not enjoy the few they actually WANT to do. I just can’t understand why you would want to push your child into the ground in order to make them better themselves? Surely children are amazing as they are and all their natural developments, with a little bit of gentle encouragement and lots of love, will get them a lot further than being ferried about from pillar to post and paraded about to make the parents feel good?
February 19th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
I have always been a going against the grain type of Mum- so I really love this post!
B:))
February 19th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I love this!
February 19th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I shall join you in said eye poking! Well-bloody-said! x
February 19th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Well said! 🙂
February 19th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
so so sadly true
February 19th, 2011 at 10:36 pm
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February 20th, 2011 at 1:37 am
Love that, I know a Mum who is a supposedly “good friend”of mine who always compares her son to mine. My little boy has trouble pronouncing his words and she basically called him thick. (Not to my face). Needless t say she isn’t what I class as a good friend anymore and I’ll never forget those comments. If mothers themselves have competitive jobs and want to get to the top then thats fine, but don’t compare anyones Children to mine! My little boy is just a little person and is not in competion with anybody else, He is his own person and I am and will always be proud of him no matter what. Great read and well said!
February 21st, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Libraries ensure that parents who can’t afford to buy books are able to share them with their kids. Its such a shame that some people won’t be able to do this
xXx
February 20th, 2011 at 5:29 am
Yes yes yes!! I’m so with you on this one. Let children be children for goodness sake! You poke ’em in the eye and I’ll kick ’em in the shins. We’ll tag team ’em. Go normal Mums!!
February 20th, 2011 at 10:31 am
I hate compatatibe parenting. I have featured this in my round up, no need for the sunday papers http://www.muminthemadhouse.com/2011/02/no-need-for-the-sunday-papers-4/
February 20th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Well said!!! Agree completely 🙂
February 21st, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Thanks!
XxX
February 28th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
[…] gymnastics again, much to my delight. I’m certainly not a pushy, competitive mother (see this post)but I felt genuinely sad that she’d given it up because she was actually rather good at it. […]
May 21st, 2011 at 6:00 pm
[…] all hate competitive mums, don’t we? I posted about them at gymnastics a while back (Competitive mums and their offspring) and today I read a fab post by Molly on In The Powder Room. It’s a topic that parents are […]