Comments on: Macaroni Mom

By: Emily Shaw

Emily Shaw — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 02:38:08 +0000

I nearly teared up as I read this beautiful post. I try to be ‘macaroni mom’ as often as I can but it always does my heart good when I am on the receiving end.

I think the most memorable ‘MM’ I can think of is a wonderful woman in my ward that voluteered to have a playdate with my 2 oldest girls when I was new in the ward and had a brand new baby. She came over and picked them up and kept them for 3 hours so that I could sleep! I hadn’t met her before she showed up in her club wagon van with her own 4 kids to pick up my girls. I wanted to hug her!!

By: Rebecca James

Rebecca James — Sat, 26 May 2007 21:51:46 +0000

I haven’t had the chance to be ‘macaroni’ Mum yet – as I am still at the stage of being the frazzled, panicked mum. But I hope that I always remember what it’s like and am generous enough, when my kids are older, to do lots of macaroni mothering myself.

By: Lee Ann S.

Lee Ann S. — Sat, 26 May 2007 03:43:15 +0000

Like Emily M., I had a sacrament meeting angel. A friend of mine who’d raised all her children came up to me the first day I brought the new baby to church, took the baby from me, and didn’t give her back during sacrament meeting until the baby was about 3. While I wrestled with two active preschoolers, they had so much fun! My friend made her origami flowers, and they whispered and colored and giggled, and now, 5 years later, they’re still great friends and will occasionally spend a whole day together.

A lady who moved into our ward during that time just naturally assumed that my friend had had a baby late in life, since that was where my little girl automatically went during sacrament meeting!

By: Justine

Justine — Fri, 25 May 2007 19:44:55 +0000

I want women like this in my life. I want to be a woman like this. I think those are somehow connected, and once I figure out how to consistently be that macaroni mom, the universe will send more in my direction too.

What a great experience to have had. What a perceptive woman. Dalene I am so aghast that someone would actually hand you duct tape!!! It’s amazing the horrible-ness we inflict on each other.

By: Emily M.

Emily M. — Fri, 25 May 2007 18:18:57 +0000

What a great post. Thank you!

My husband was just called into the bishopric. I have three little kids, 6, 3, and 1. The one-year-old sometimes makes it to the Sacrament, but usually I spend the meeting with him in the lobby. I can’t leave the other two by themselves. But the bishop’s wife, sweet lady, volunteered to sit with my kids while I take out the baby. She’s done it nearly every week. Her own kids are gone, and I am so grateful to her for this service.

By: Ana

Ana — Fri, 25 May 2007 18:16:01 +0000

That is so great to hear. I was at the store with my 3 yesterday and an old man told my really active almost-eight-year old that if he were HIS son he would have gotten a whipping a long time ago. Seething inside but also kind of wishing I COULD just whip the kid, I smiled and told him times have changed.

Where was that macaroni lady when I needed her? Glad you found her, anyway.

By: Dalene

Dalene — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:07:05 +0000

This is one of my favorite posts. I have been blessed by macaroni moms and tried to be that macaroni mom too many times to tell. But it’s so much nicer than the guy who asked me to leave the building after I had already taken my child out of the chapel or the guy who handed my aunt a roll of duct tape in sacrament meeting with all the subtlety of a rhinocerous. It’s just good to be reminded that every day we are given the opportunity to be annoyed or to be helpful and that the consequences can be significant.

Thank you!