Tossing the Subscription

Last updated on: December 20, 2009 at 11:58 pm by Mahaez

Tossing the Subscription 2009-12-20T23:58:21-04:00 Mahaez

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It felt like a turning point to me, but maybe I’m overanalyzing it. Going through the mail the other day, I came across the renewal card for my subscription to a parenting magazine I have been getting for what seems like a zillion years. And for the first time in five or six of those years, I threw it into the recycling pile without a moment’s thought. I knew without even thinking that I was done with being told month after month how to be the perfect parent.

God knows I need all the parenting pointers and advice there are to give, but I’ve maxed out on what I can get from the glossy parenting magazines out there. Generalization? Sure, but for now, I’d rather sit down for a coffee with another mother who is living at least a version of my reality or better yet, has lived through it and is willing to share with me how she did it.

To be fair to all those publishing houses out there, my parenting magazine served an important role for me over the years. First as a new mom, and then as a mother of two little ones under 3 years of age, I was in constant search of information, lapping it all up from all sorts of sources. Essentially, I wanted confirmation that what I was going through – from the sudden loss of any amount of control over my time to the day to day dilemmas I fixated on about coordinating nap times and feeding schedules – was normal. And the monthly ritual of cracking open my magazine was like a trusted friend telling me it was so.

So what has changed – if anything? I still seek out tips and articles relating to the stages and phases of my children. But I now know who to talk to and where to look; and I can recognize a cookie cutter answer to a complex parenting question a mile away. The turning point for me was the realization that day that I’m not that new mom anymore looking for validation. Funny – three children and eight years later and I finally got it. Too bad my cheque book had to take the hit in the process!

Mihad Fahmy

Mihad Fahmy is a London Ontario mother of three. She practices human rights and labour law and is always on the lookout for the perfect novel to escape into at the end of a busy day.

Motherhood Reflections

Previous Post

December 17, 2009

One True Love?

Next Post

December 24, 2009 Between These Four Walls

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book and Movie Reviews Community Connecting with Allah Counselor's Corner Environment fatherhood five stars GrowBaba Spotlight GrowMama Picks Growmama Roundup Health Light Fare marriage Motherhood Reflections moving Parenthood Photography Poems Schooling Self-development tragedy Tutorials Uncategorized

Select a Month December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 November 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, 'The Lord gives and the Lord takes away'?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Job David Solomon Moses