I know, because I am surrounded by absolutely wonderful people, that some of you are going to read my previous post and say, “How can I help?”

And I really appreciate that, I do. And a lot of you have helped in the past, and I will no doubt call on you to help again in the future. But please don’t feel the urge to bring us meals, or take the older kids for playdates, or really do anything at all.

Of course I appreciate those things, and your desire to do them, but for right now you’ve done enough by listening to me rant and ramble. If I’m being totally honest, charity makes me feel a bit uncomfortable (even if you REALLY, ABSOLUTELY assure me that you REALLY, ABSOLUTELY don’t mind! No really!)

Also, not for nothing, but I maaaaay be guilty of a little hyperbole now and again. Not to let you peek behind the curtain or anything, but, you know, this is my blog and…just take things with a grain of salt sometimes, alright? Alright.

I write these posts more in the spirit of commiseration with other parents, and to put these things out there on the Internet: a lot of times we don’t talk about how much work it is to raise kids, and we put up these veneers that everything is a perfect little baby paradise, or whatever. And sometimes I think to myself, “Someone out there is feeling overwhelmed and looking around and only seeing all these clean houses and smiling baby pictures on Facebook, and I want to take that person by the shoulders and say YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR CHILD-INDUCED MADNESS!”

So, while I don’t necessarily write these posts as a cry for help, it is a testament to your kindness, dear readers, that you often respond that way.

-The Management