Why is a group of parents fighting the good fight against large flightless birds?
It all started with a Bad Mom Confession: a mom felt guilty about leaving her child strapped in the carseat for a few seconds while she ran into the house for her keys or her fianceé.
I replied to her:
Do remember to always leave the window open a crack, in case the car door is accidentally shut by a slightly hysterical ostrich escaped from your nearby zoo, which might also manage to swallow all your car keys as it sprints by. You know how crazy ostriches get sometimes.
At the moment it was just a joke, but revisiting it a few days later in the light of a negative comment, it dawned on me that ostriches had become a symbol. A symbol of all the crazy, irrational, overblown fears and guilt-trips hammered into parents from the second they find out they’re going to have a child.
Since the Bad Mom Confession Booth opened, I have received a surprising number of emails from moms who feel guilty about taking a minute to themselves, about letting their kids eat unwashed fruit or play outside or just be children. And while I do not necessarily advocate a return to “Ye Good Olde Times” when our parents let us roam loose in the prairies, I definitely believe in a return to common sense.
No more guilt-trips.
No more irrational fears.
No more paranoia.
Down with Ostriches!
Note: although the movement is called “Moms Against Ostriches”, it is open to EVERYONE who is in favour of common sense (in parenting and elsewhere) and who thinks we should stop being afraid of ostriches real and imaginary! Dads, grandmas, pet-owners… everyone is welcome to join!
What to do:
1. Spread the word and show your support using the #momsagainstostriches tag on Twitter.
2. Get a #twibbon for your Twitter and/or Facebook accounts. It’s easy!
2. Sign your allegiance below and leave your email so we can keep you informed of our advances against those feathered dangers.
3. Adopt our button for to show you are responsible – but not paranoid – parent/carer/citizen.
Code: <a href=”http://1000reasonsimabadmom.com/moms-against-ostriches/”> <img src=”http://1000reasonsimabadmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/MAO-Button.jpg” source=”blank” /></a>