We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While
other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.
And you can guess, our mother fixed us a dinner that was different than
other kids had and we all sat down to eat it together as a family.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.
You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends
were, and what we were doing with them,and when we would be coming home.
She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be
gone for an hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve
to break the "Child Labor Laws" by making us work. We had to wash the dishes,
make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, and all sorts
of cruel jobs. I think she would just lay awake at night thinking of more
things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could
read our minds, and life was really tough. We joked that she had eyes in
the back of her head because she knew so much about us even when we didn't
tell her.
She wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when
they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them.
While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait
until we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property, or ever arrested for any crime. And it was all her fault!
We never got drunk, took up smoking, stayed out all
night, or a million other things other kids did.
Sundays were reserved for church, and we never missed
once. We knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays.
Sunday was the time for family fun. After church we always had our big
Sunday dinner at home or at Grandma's house. Yum, yum.
Now that we have left home, we are all God-fearing,
educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just
like our mom. The world just doesn't have enough mean moms anymore!!!
Bobbie Pingaro 1967