It’s Spring – and I, like many other parents, are emerging from the winter cave only to find… dust and grim and disorganized toy closets. It’s that time of year when I get a hankering to clean-up and throw-out. Plus, I am determined to hold on to at least one of my New Year’s resolutions. Those ten pounds are not budging and I haven’t broken a single spine on the self-help books I collected. So, I will allow Spring to inspire me to stick to one manageable goal – to have a more organized, efficient household.

With this pursuit in mind, over the weekend, I did something that I never thought I would do in my lifetime. I organized my spice rack. I was inspired by a neighbor who has perfectly organized spices in her perfectly organized home. I carefully placed each seasoning (most of which I never used nor did I have any clue of their culinary purpose) in alphabetical order. My son came in and interrupted by focus. “Can you toss the baseball, Mom?” Frustrated I said, “I am in the middle of a project – maybe later.” He walked away looking rejected and I must admit I felt a little guilty. When I went back to my deliberation over whether to place Cream of Tartar next to the Cumin or the Thyme, I had a moment of clarity… what was I doing?? As far as priorities, this had to rank about as high as organizing the proverbial sock drawer. This was not about having better access to Cinnamon Sticks, this was about my own insecurities – my desire to keep up with other moms that seem to have an edge over me in their domestic abilities.

This incident reminded me of why I created “Not-So-Perfect Parent”. Don’t get me wrong, I admire women who have organized photo albums and consistently clean, smushed-up-Cheeto-free car. I am impressed by my more grown-up friends who retrieve band-aids, chap stick, and anti-bacterial wash from a well-organized diaper bag faster than Jessie James could pull a pistol. However, I also think there is much to say for embracing one’s not-so-perfectness. Anne Quindlen wrote: “The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”

Honestly, being a parent is not about being perfect. It’s about being real. In my opinion, striving for perfection does not bring you closer to your kids. The pursuit of perfection only leads to frustration and serves as a wedge between you and your children. That said, I’m certainly relieved because I’ll never be perfect, so I’ve had to snuggle up to the concept of being a Not-so-Perfect parent and doing the best I can. So as far as my Spring Cleaning – for now, let’s just say I’ve put down my spices and picked up a baseball!