Mom in the City

I (Kimberly) went to see Mother Load (http://motherloadshow.com/) last Friday.  This one woman show starring Amy Wilson was excellent!  The show unfolds as Amy talks while cleaning up her messy living room (scattered magazines, clothing that needs to be folded, and toys that need to be put up) which resembles any city parent’s home.  As she cleans, Amy shares about all of her shortcomings as a mother.  The mood swings from touching (i.e. when she shares her struggles with infertility and despair at not being able to comfort her colicky son) to humorous (i.e. the unrealistic expectations which the media sets for moms and the insanity of preschool admission process). At all times though, there is an authenticity that makes other moms relate to Amy’s experiences.  (Afterwards, I heard a mom of older children say, “I had totally forgotten about mastitis.”)  In the end, Amy messes back up the living room which she had just cleaned.  She decides to let go of her quest for perfection as a mom and to stop feeling guilty about her shortcomings.  She realizes that kids grow up so quickly (which they do!) and she wants to live in such a way where she can look back and say that their years with her were “the happiest days of her life”.  What a great reminder for all of us moms!  I highly recommend this play.