There is a meme circulating around Facebook these days about how much easier motherhood must have been back in the 1970s & 80s when “all moms had to worry about was remembering to roll the car window down so their kids didn’t breathe in too much cigarette smoke” (or something to that effect). The author of the post goes on to say how she has spent 45 mins researching what kind of vitamins to buy her kids & how they are going to cost her an arm & a leg but she feels like she has to have the “perfect” ones or she’s somehow going to damage her kids for life.
I get it, ladies, I really do. Moming is hard work these days. Everywhere we turn there’s some new post or ad telling us “you need this” or “your kid will get cancer or die if they have this.” But the truth is motherhood has always been hard. And frankly we are making things so much harder on ourselves because we buy in to the hysteria about having to be perfect about every little thing. Do you think the average dad is anguishing over whether his kids are eating all organic non-GMO food or using phthalate free body wash or taking the perfect blend of vitamins? Um, no. Ladies, why are we doing this to ourselves? Being a mom is hard enough as it is. I for one refuse to obsess over every tiny little thing, thereby making my life even more difficult- & far less enjoyable- than it already is!
We have enough to worry about as moms. Let’s stop adding to it by obsessing over every tiny detail.
Here’s the thing, y’all: we are all going to die someday. As a nurse I have lost count of the number of times I have seen people die. It’s just part of life. Am I saying we should give our kids sodas & McDonald’s on a regular basis? Hell no! I believe it’s very important to feed our kids a healthy diet to help prevent early-onset diabetes & all the other myriad health problems that come with obesity. But obsessing over everything being organic, non-GMO, etc, etc- give me a break! I for one don’t have the time or energy (or money) for all that.
At the end of the day, this is what I know: my child is loved & cared for. We read books to her on a daily basis, usually multiple times a day. We take her on walks around the neighborhood so she can enjoy some fresh air & get some good old fashioned Vitamin D. We feed her a reasonably healthy diet (probably very healthy compared to most kids but by no means perfect). We take her to the doctor for her regular check-ups & make sure she’s meeting all of her developmental milestones. She has a loving sitter who cares for her on the three days a week that I work. While she’s there she gets to play with other girls around her age which is teaching her a great deal about socialization. She sees her grandparents on a regular basis & has built a loving relationship with them. At the end of the day, these are the things that matter. These are the things she will look back on some day & be grateful for. What more could we want? 
If nursing has taught me anything, it’s that life is way too short to be unhappy. And I for one cannot be happy if I am obsessing over every little ingredient in every product I buy or torturing myself over what kind of multivitamins I give my child. I don’t have the time or energy for that. As someone who has struggled with anxiety for years, I find it very ironic that people frequently tell me I’m such a “chill” mom. But I am (most of the time- trust me, I have my freak out moments like anyone else) because I know life is way too short to obsess over things that aren’t going to matter in the course of a lifetime. 
Moms, if I have one piece of advice for you, it’s this: just chill out. Hug your kids, give them a kiss, & stop worrying so damn much.
As some of you may know, I’m a huge fan of Phil Labonte, the lead singer of ATR. He’s an outspoken Libertarian which is not something you find too often in the rock world (or in the music/celebrity world in general actually). You can hear some of his political views in this album including in the title song 
With this album Manson has fused the industrial sound of his older albums with the more bluesy sound of his 2015 album The Pale Emperor, which makes for a truly unique sound. My favorites include 
I’m such a huge fan of MIW’s 2014 album Reincarnate that I’m not sure they’ll ever top that one for me. But this album is still a great one. There a few tracks where I feel the lyrics are a bit wanting but the other tracks are so well written that they make up for it. Don’t miss the haunting but gorgeous 
This is actually the first Papa Roach album I’ve ever owned & I find myself spinning it again & again. I was inspired to buy it when I saw several of my favorite rock stars including Chris Kael, the bassist from FFDP, posting about how great it was on Instagram. From title track 
As I discussed with MIW, Stone Sour’s previous album (the double album House of Gold & Bones from 2012-2013) is one of my all time favorite albums so I’m not sure if it’s even possible for the band to ever top that one for me. However, their most recent effort, which won Hard Rock Album of the Year at the Loudwire Music Awards, is epic nonetheless. My favorite track also happens to be the heaviest track on the record 
I have a whole blog post dedicated to AA’s previous album The Black, that’s how much I love it. I actually wasn’t familiar with the band until that album so I was quite disappointed when I found out that Ukranian singer Denis Stoff was leaving the band. To be perfectly honest, when original singer Danny Worsnop rejoined the band I was afraid they would go back to songs about nothing more than drinking & sex. However, once I heard a few songs from this disc, I realized that it is without a doubt the band’s best work to date. Lyrically & musically the band has truly matured & found their groove, as evidenced by lead single 
The Grammys actually got something right this year when they nominated this disc for multiple awards. Nothing More’s previous album was amazing but this one is equally awesome. Once again the band finds a way to combine catchy melodies with phenomenal lyrics. Check out 
Trivium have been releasing albums & touring the world since they were barely of legal age, but they have truly outdone themselves with their most recent album. As soon as I heard the 
I fell in love with ITM after 2012’s Blood but it seems like every disc the band releases just gets better & better. This year’s effort shows off a more bluesy side of Maria Brink which is best showcased on lead single 
After 10 rock/metal albums, you probably weren’t expecting a country album to make my choice for best album of the year, but Kip Moore’s third album is just that good. Besides which, he is often noted for having rock elements in his music. Anyway, there is no doubt that I’ve listened to Slowheart more than any other album this year. I fell in love with Kip’s music after his previous album Wild Ones when I realized what a great songwriter he is. But this album is even more amazing. If you really want an inside look at the stories behind the thirteen amazing songs on this album, check out this 
athicketofmusings 