Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Wicked Is as Wicked Does

I thought I was clever.
I'd call myself The Wicked Stepmom and dispell the myth of the sterotypical evil second wife.
I would take away the power of this negative label by poking fun of the fairytale portrayals. By acknowledging the sometimes-not-so-fun aspects of being a stepmom.

I would shed light on the fact that it was not always bluebirds-and-roses-and-harpy-minstrel-music. And that that was OK.
I wonder.
I wonder if, in doing this, I have given myself too much permission to adopt the role of the Wicked Stepmom. Permission to allow mysef to feel and focus too much on the negatives.
In embracing this character have I not also become the very person I was trying to denounce.

My request for space hasn't produced the outcome I had hoped for.
My relationship with Cinderella is more strained than ever. Alienated.
She doesn't like you. She used to know that she could come to you for anything but now she avoids you.
My husband's observation only confirms what I've already known to be true.
It's time to rewrite this chapter of our story.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"She doesn't like you?" First, why would your husband tell you that? And secondly, isn't Cinderella nine...she is getting to the age where she will hate anyone on any given day for any given reason (or for no given reason). I'm already experiencing this with my 7 (almost 8) year old Princess. It's not you, it's hormones. Example: one moment Princess is bouncing off the wall happy that I'm going to chaparone her field trip at school. Then an hour later after dealing with her homework and feeding her a home cooked meal when I ask her father to bring the food and dishes to the kitchen so I can put things up, she says "Yeah, because she's our MAID" oh yeah, she said it. It's hormones...or at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

Wicked Stepmom said...

Well... it's possible he didn't say exactly that, but that's what I heard. :) I took no offense b/c I've seen it myself. She doesn't come to me as much as she used to and that's mostly my fault for pushing her away.

And yes, Cinderella is 10, and hormones are definitely at play here. Both on her part, and mine. :)