You guys. I love these mom confessions.
Sometimes we write them to pull back the mask of perfection, hopefully relieving the weight of that pressure for other moms. Sometimes we do it to just be honest with ourselves. And sometimes we do it because we like to tie in an encouraging little message to lift you up.
Not today. Today, I’m confessing simply to help you feel better about yourself.
You’re welcome.
Mamas, I’m not a stellar housekeeper. But in the past few years, I’ve made it a priority to improve, and I have. My house isn’t spotless but it’s in reasonable order most of the time.
But my car?
I have no control. It’s basically a garbage can with cupholders and a steering wheel.
The other day I looked around and was so appalled that I snapped pictures. So without further ado, here’s what this woman’s mom-mobile actually looks like on the inside.
Let’s start with the floor of the passenger’s seat, which is also the primary reason I never offer to drive if I’m carpooling with a friend.
First, let’s notice the garbage bag. It’s sitting ON TOP of the actual garbage. We also have a Bible (do I get extra credit for this?) and an empty breakfast shake bottle.
The papers include some school notes that I probably should have read (but never did) and a giant glitter-covered painting from preschool of a fish that ground glittler into the floormats so deep that it will probably still be there when my four-year-old graduates from high school.
That’s right, I PAID for that privilege.
Finally, who doesn’t drive around with random teeny shells in their console? Not me. Obviously.
Let’s move on to the backseat, shall we?
Ah, church handouts. Those and preschool artwork comprise about 90% of the problem in my car.
You probably wonder why I don’t just tell my kids to take all their junk into the house every time they exit the car. Frankly, I wonder the same thing.
Also included: sunglasses and a random shoe that we probably spent 15 minutes looking for before piling in the car. And a dollhouse kitchen.
Naturally.
And now, the pièce de résistance: the floor of the backseat.
Three jackets (that are visible). There may be more.
A pair of sandals and a pair of rain boots. Confusing, since this photo was taken in February.
Another pair of sunglasses, an umbrella, a cup, and what appears to be a used band-aid.
And a bajillion Sunday school papers. (Of course.)
Quite often on Sundays, my husband has my kids go out into the car, empty it out, and then he vacuums it. And then I swear I will maintain its cleanliness.
And then by mid-week, it looks like this again.
But the trunk? That’s actually quite tidy. Mainly because I don’t transport my kids in there.
So there’s my confession. My car is atrocious. And since I’ve been honest about the condition of mine, hopefully you’ll feel better about the condition of yours.
Do you keep your car tidy with kids? If so, what’s your best tip?
