GateHouse News Service: It’s OK for moms to be insane

August 22nd, 2012 By Molly

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In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, he wrote, “Mothers are all slightly insane.”  In many ways, I think he’s right.  Our innate ability to forget, persevere, multitask while moving mountains and love like nobody’s business are just a few examples of our insanity in all its glory.

Yep, that’s right:  all its glory.  Mom-insanity provides a thick, comfy blanket of protection and adds turbo power to the effectiveness of those of us managing the family frontlines.  Here are just a few ways in which this true superpower manifests itself in our daily lives.

Mood swings

Moms’ ability to sway from cloud nine to furious to anxiety-ridden to in-charge allows us to navigate the everyday chaos we deal with.  Whether potty training a toddler, getting a brood of youngsters out the door in the morning or managing the social media habits of teens, different situations require different moods and we moms have them in spades.

A penchant for drama

A tendency toward the dramatic ensures that moms react when it counts most.  Dissolving into tears after receiving a handpicked dandelion or squealing with our tween over an American Idol upset gives us opportunity to show how we feel, even on days when our words haven’t quite done the trick.  It also reminds our kids that moms are human, too.

Anger issues

All moms relate to that single moment when you have absolutely had enough.  Another example of our humanity, reasonable anger lets kids know where the line is and that they’ve crossed it.  It also gives opportunity to demonstrate responsibility of our actions, remorse and the ability to change.  And while displaying our anger by slinging scrambled eggs across the kitchen may not be ideal, it does make a great family story.  Believe me.

Obsession

I won’t yet allow my young girls to read a well-known vampire series as the lovesick nature of the teenage characters would be too much for them.  However, the motherly insanity that leads us to obsess over our kids, worry about their futures, micromanage their activities when needed, dream about their lives and miss them dearly when they’re gone is our insanity in its finest hour.  After all, no one can or will love them as we do.  No one but a mom would be crazy enough to take on this gig.