Why Midpack Mama?

March 21, 2006


My husband asked me what my blog was called and when I told him, "Midpack Mama" he looked at me with a blank expression one would expect from one unfamiliar with the language that I was speaking. This from the man who has shared my life for eight years and is part of the reason I entered the sport (and the life, frankly) that would lead me to become a "midpack mama". I explained to him that in the sport of triathlon I am a mid-packer; certainly not leading the pack, but not bringing up the tail either. He advised me that none of my friends and readers would understand this, so I had best explain it here too.

But I got to thinking about the mid-pack concept, and have come to believe that I am a mid-packer in things such as politics and parenting style as well. Politically speaking, I think I romantically fancy myself a liberal (after all, I certainly was in my slightly crunchy, idealistic college and post-college days), but in actuality I am truly a moderate. I tend to embrace a "free to be you and me" attitude towards policies that impact others. Gay marriage - who does it hurt, really? Abortion - not for me, but wouldn't go back to a time of coat hangers and dangerous situations for those who feel they need one. I guess I am typically not one to judge another person's life or their decisions. But when considering fiscal policies, I am the first to appreciate the financial benefits that a more conservative government can bring. For instance, we are getting a larger tax return than expected simply because we have another child. Love that! Guess we'll have to have even more (although not anytime soon, since I have my hands seriously full right now)!

Which brings me to parenting style. Now that I've been home with the boys for more than a year, I have had much more opportunity to interact with other parents and get a feel for parenting styles. This had led me to believe that I am pretty laid back when it comes to my children’s independence, meaning I give them both a pretty long leash. This sometimes back-fires and has led to more than a few bumps and bruises for the little men, but I want them to try new things too. On the other hand, I think I tend to expect a lot from my kids. I am probably more demanding of my boys than many of the moms I interact with are of their kids. I think that goes back to the independence thing too. While I'm certainly not negligent, I want my kids to learn to take care of themselves, which at two and a half means you can put your clothes in the hamper and clean up your toys (you certainly knew where they were when you got them, so put them back there). So a mid-packer in more ways than one - who knew?