Mean Mother Story

Excerpt taken from “The Meanest Mother”

By Bobbie Pingaro

(1967) --- I had the meanest mother in the whole wide world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids’ also.

But at least, I wasn’t alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did. The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn’t sleep till noon, like our friends. So while they slept, my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook, and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us; and it nearly did.

By the time we were teenagers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country.

And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out??? You’re right; our mean mother. Look at the things we missed, We never got to march in a protest parade, or to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults.

Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean.

Because you see, I thank God that He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world!

~~ Have a wonderful week!  ~~