Mom, Mayhem & The Whole Damn Family

But with less popcorn and more tantrums.

Some parents describe their homes as “cozy” or “peaceful” Mine? Let’s just say its like a traveling circus that set up camp in my living room. There are loud noises, dramatic performances and plenty of questionable smells. And just like a circus, it’s exhausting and hilarious all at once. Here are ten moments that prove parenting is basically a three-ring show—with fewer snacks and way more tantrums.

1. The Morning Rush “Step Right up to the Greatest Show on Earth”

Step on Up to the Greatest Show on Earth where no child wears their own clothes and no socks are seen matching. It really is the greatest show just not the show a mother wants to watch. Why can’t my oldest see that his shirt is two sizes too small, why is my middle child trying to squeeze into one of his sister’s night gowns. “No those are mittens not socks I scream to another.” Just a casual morning for us eggs dropping on the ground, pancake batter flying in every direction. No matter how much is going on we always get a hug and a kiss before they walk onto that bus for school and that’s what really matters.

2. The Sibling Show Down “Clash of the Clowns”

I don’t want you to confuse the Clash of the Clowns as a specific show with two specific clowns because it can be in any and every combination. Oldest vs youngest, Middle vs middle, Middle vs youngest, Middle vs oldest there are no limitations in this act. Some days just looking at one of them wrong is enough to start this act. “That’s my toy.” “That’s my underwear,’ “mom he’s wearing my shoes!”

3. Bed Time Battles “The High Wire Act”

Bed Time leads to negotiations worth risking your life for. You have been with these snot nosed kids all day long and finally its my time my time, but they won’t give up without a fight. “Another story?” “No we just read three” “I’m thirsty, “sorry too close to bed time.” :I need to go to the bathroom” “you’ve went 15 times in the past 30 minutes.” This is where they think they are getting over on me because I can’t tell them no to the bathroom and they know this. “Okay go but I am going to have to make you a doctors appointment to see what’s wrong and you will have to miss your friends birthday party.” “It’s okay mom false alarm.” “Good night children Good night mom.” Another point for me.

4. Grocery Store Trips “The Wild Animal Exibit”

Meltdown in aisle three, spilled milk in aisle four. Taking kids to the grocery store is like releasing wild animals into a habitat they weren’t prepared for. One darts down the cereal aisle, another roars when I say no to cookies, and strangers stand there gawking like they’ve paid for tickets. Meanwhile, I’m pushing a cart with one wheel that won’t turn, trying to remember if I actually came for milk or just to lose my sanity in aisle five.

5. Homework Time “Juggling Fire Sticks”

Helping with homework is the ultimate juggling act—except the balls are on fire and the audience is heckling. Math looks nothing like it did when I was a kid, and trying to explain it makes me question my own education. While I’m trying to keep one child focused, another is asking life’s deepest questions like, “Why can’t penguins fly?” And of course, dinner is burning in the background.

6. Carpool Chaos “The Clown Car”

My car isn’t a vehicle—it’s a mobile circus tent. I load up kids, backpacks, instruments, snacks, and approximately 47 water bottles. By the time we hit the road, someone forgot their shoes, another is singing at the top of their lungs, and the car smells like old French fries. It’s like driving a clown car, except there’s no applause when everyone piles out at school.

7. Family Photos “The Tightrope Act”

Getting a family photo should be simple, but it always feels like walking a tightrope blindfolded. I bribe the kids, I beg, I threaten, and still—one kid is crying, one is looking at the sky, and one is mid-blink in every shot. By the time we finally get a halfway decent picture, I look like I aged five years, and honestly, I probably did.

8. Meal Times “The Lion Tamer Act”

Dinner at my house is basically me versus the wild beasts. I present a perfectly cooked meal, and they act like I served them a plate of poison. Dramatic gagging, loud protests, and the classic “I’m full” five minutes before asking for dessert. I wave my fork like a whip, begging someone to just take one bite of broccoli before I lose my mind.

9. Household Chores “The Plate Spinning Routine”

Keeping a house clean with kids is like spinning plates—you think you’ve got it, but one always crashes to the ground. I finish laundry, and two seconds later someone dumps muddy clothes in the basket. I vacuum, and magically a trail of Goldfish crumbs appears. The circus never ends, and neither does the laundry pile.

10. The Unexpected “The Surprise Finale”

Every circus needs a surprise finale, and parenting delivers daily. From a toddler announcing embarrassing family secrets in public to a preschooler asking the cashier if she’s pregnant (when she very much is not), the show is always unpredictable. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and somehow, it’s also the stuff of memories I’ll laugh about years from now.

Parenting may not come with popcorn or applause, but it does come with plenty of chaos, comedy, and heart. Some days I feel like the exhausted ringmaster of a traveling circus, but then I remember—the circus is also where the magic happens. So grab your popcorn (or let’s be honest, a Red Bull) and buckle up. Because in this show, the curtain never really falls. The show still must go on!