Mommy Scoreboard--Point Value for Ramen?

Image taken from THIS blog

I can't help that I keep score. I think my whole life leading up to motherhood set me up for evaluation obsession...grades, exams, sports, law...and now, with mommyhood, my measuring stick is a little more amorphous. So, I randomly find myself assigning point values to my mommy activities. A good day is when I come out on the plus side.

But, let me back up a bit.



I went grocery shopping on Friday...to Winco...with all of my children. If you don't already know, I (we) have three children, ages four, two, and one. And I'm pregnant. The four and two year old are no problem...could shop with them all day long...except for potty breaks...and arguments, and the occasional, "No, we cannot buy choco cocoa puffy sugar coated cereal! I don't care if Ariel is on the box!!"

But, my one year old...well, you know one year olds. (Well, maybe you don't. They don't like to be still, be strapped in, be told "n-o," and generally, they would prefer to rummage through the bulk candy bins and throw most everything at eye height and below on the floor, especially if it is housed in glass.) So, Caden is no fun to shop with. But, he did OK, considering he was strapped in a cart for over an hour, straining to reach for his "free" siblings nearby.

Now, as I shopped, I did not "peruse"--I aimed for the things on my list, got them, and moved on. And then, the soupy pasta aisle came, where I had to buy all manner of "cream ofs" and broths and egg noodles, and lasagna noodles, and on and on.

We came across Ramen at this point in our journey. Yes, Ramen. Not particularly significant you may be thinking? But wait. My saga continues. You see, I have a long held dispassion for Ramen. I see parents stockpiling the stuff in their carts, I automatically think, "Sad, sad, no nutritional sense, or just very poor." I know, it's embarassing to admit. I'm not proud of it. I have also at times thought, "Oh dear, they are going to get so fat and depressed eating that stuff."

I believe it all started when I read some nutritionist's column lamenting the horror of the Ramen eating phenomenon among college students. See this blog for an interesting Ramen read.

Anyway, I looked at the Ramen, and suddenly, my insane pregnant brain said, "YOU MUST EAT THAT RIGHT AWAY!" I couldn't fight it. My logical mind was consumed with correcting, excusing, supervising and hushing my children so it couldn't help me. AND IT WAS ONLY 15 CENTS!!!! 15 CENTS!! So, I bought the Ramen--10 of them.

We finished our shopping, which I was glad to only be doing once a month! And we got some amazing deals, including the Ramen.

So, back to the mommy scoreboard.

Yesterday, I played Old Maid with Kya and Wyatt--four games! I think that's about 20 points. I also did Kya's sight words with her during the boys' nap...10 points. Then, later, we all played a rousing game of Dr. Seuss Alphabet Twister. 15 points! We read books AND played outside in the afternoon (brrrrr.) 30 more points.

But then...

For dinner...

Instead of the Nutritious Tuna Casserole on the Menu Plan...

We had...


RAMEN!

Now, food is worth a lot in my little mommy scoreboard game. But, this little fiasco, I was not sure how to score. As I ate it, and examined the ingredients list, and thought of the sad families I had judged all these years...eek! I gave myself...negative 116. And that was probably a little generous. I can't believe I fed this to my children! It really wasn't good...well, maybe it was a little good. I didn't even put any vegetables in it. Ramen and lemonade. That was our dinner. And they (we) ate up every last bite...of the five packages.



Total for the day: -41 (all because of the stupid nutritionally void Ramen! which belongs in THIS pile at my friend RAQUEL's house.)

Five more packages in the cupboard...