Actually your "bad mommy moments" sound like great parenting to me. If your kids want to watch Desperate House Wives then they will do so. Would you rather them lie and do it behind your back? I don't think parents think about it. As a kid I was pretty much allowed to sit in my room and do home work. At 16 I had to ask to watch TV, use the computer, go into my back yard, answer or use the phone, you get the point. Needless to say I moved out 3 months after I turned 16 and my marks went up in school, I no longer planned on being a stripped, I quit drugs cold turkey, I hardly drink anymore. I really just needed my space and to make my own mistakes and to have my own experiences. More parents need to give their kids more freedom. Yes breaking curfew deserves a night or 2 of grounding. i know this family who has a son and has taken in a foster child, a girl. They are both 17 and don't like to come home at night and don't call to say anything. MRS. B says if they treat it like a hotel it can be a hotel so each night they don't come home they owe Mr and Mrs. B $20. I love that idea. The kids stopped going out as much since that rule came into effect. So again it shows more space more well behaved children.
I don't have kids but I think one of the worst parenting is when people bring their kids out in public and don't pay attention to them. I was in Wal Mart last week and this mom was on her phone as her kid is screaming and throwing a fit. She gets off and says no you are not getting a toy, here is candy get candy. Great parenting... Not. Then I go to the parking lot and this mom has 2 young kids. She is making the kids wait by the car while she talks on the phone. She tarted to buckle one kid in but another saw a balloon so he ran for it. I swear there was an inch between this kid and a car. The mom start scream and being a little more aggressive, borderline abusive. I almost went over and said "This is actually not your childs fault, he was just being a child. You on the other hand need to take that stupid phone of yours and huck it somewhere. You obviously don't know the appropriate time to be on it nor do you care about your children as much, clearly." Of course my husband didn't let me say anything.

LOL on the vacuum at nap time

I am not a parent but the house I recently moved into had 2 young people taking care of a 1 and a half year old. They are bad parents, no doubt about it... The entire house stunk because they didn't take out their garbage, there was literally 20 full diapers laying around everywhere and the place was an absolute mess! Lego peices all over the floor (the small ones.... For 14+ apparently according to the box), there were even pills on the floor and weed just laying around..... I regret not calling CPS, but these people are my boyfriends sister and "brother in law eventually"... They moved into a very religious/republican family, so we'll see how that turns out for them...

@bbanmen420@xanga - Some parents are so annoying. That would be one of my reasons for avoiding restaurants all the time.

I hate labels like "bad" and "good" when referring to parenting. What one person thinks is bad may be completely acceptable to someone else. What is considered good to someone may be condemned by another. Mostly, I think we all just do the best we can with the situations we're in and often focus too much on what everyone else is doing either to make ourselves feel better about our mistakes or to take the attention off of ourselves.... This all being said, here are some things I do that many would consider deplorable.

1. My kids watch WAY too much TV and movies. When I'm cleaning, it's easier to set them up with cartoons or a movie. When my hubby and I need to talk about something, we put in a movie. When I'm done with the noise and need some peace and quiet before I lose my sanity, we send them to watch a movie.

2. When my daughter screams at me, I have been known to scream back just as loudly to show her just how annoying it truly is.

3. I have walked away from my child mid tantrum in the grocery store and waited at the end of the aisle for him to compose himself.

4. I could care less if my kids wear pajamas or not unless it's freezing outside.

@grizzlybearr@xanga - @ShamrockLover@xanga - You're right, Brit, you are the perfect parent. You're both awesome parents, you give your kids the love they need and deserve... From everything I have read anyway. You're not bad parents at all :)

Everyone here fessing up to small mistakes are good mothers.  Who in the world is a perfect mother, for pete's sake?  And when your kids are grown, they'll look back and have a few good laughs with you for some of the stuff you did, just to survive your days!  And for the mommy who thinks she made her little boy too analytical?  You didn't.  He's got a brain like that.  If he wanted to make something up, he would do it whether you taught him to or not.  I've re-read some of my daughters stories she wrote in grade school, and they were all fantasy, and I always insisted on nothing but the truth in our house.  My son had make up characters in his stories as well.  So don't take this one on yourself.  He functions beautifully.  Rejoice in his individualism, and don't compare him to others who are not like him.  And males and females really are scientifically different in the way they learn the first few years.  Take yourself out for something nice.  And dental mom?  Oh jeez, you did what you had to do for your kid's mouth.  Thank goodness you did.  And single working moms who rely on games or t.v.?  You are doing the very best you can with what energy you have left at the end of the day.  They know you love them.