About Carly Cooper
A certified Life Coach for Moms and creator of www.balance-the-mother-load.com, Carly Cooper’s blog offers helpful strategies for mothers struggling with guilt, unrealistic expectations and the inability to balance it all – with a generous dose of laughter.
Life Lessons From The Soaps
balance the mother load canada
(Sep.22.09)
I have a confession to make. I've been watching The Young and the Restless since I was pre-pubescent. It was and continues to be the show I love to hate. The story lines are ridiculous, the characters are annoying and yet, like a cougar during frosh week, I can't tear myself away. Some would call this a colossal waste of time. I don't disagree. But I've managed to find a positive way to justify watching my soap by choosing to look at these morally robbed characters as a standard of how not to live my life.
Here are some of the biggest life lessons I've learned from watching Y&R.
1) Never go out in a storm. I don't care if the only things in your fridge are nail polish and batteries. When the thunder cracks or the blizzard blows, for the love of padded bras, stay home. Otherwise you'll be guaranteed a major head trauma leading to amnesia or death. True, you may come back to life in a few months but surely you'll forget the real reason you left in the first place.
2) Never lie or cheat. The truth always reveals itself in the form of an illegitimate child, thus ruining the already dysfunctional marriage that you're currently in.
3) No matter how dire or dirty your school district is, don't send your kids off to boarding school. By the time they come home for Thanksgiving they'll be 5 years older and a totally different person all together.
4) When you're having an argument in real life, dramatically turning your back and staring out the window does not end the fight. In fact, it just confuses the other person and pisses him off more.
5) For extra emphasis on a point you're making, try this winning formula. Say your piece, sigh and repeat the last two words of your sentence. Then gaze off into the distance and squint. Having a Scotch in your hand also seems to add to the dramatic effect. Allow me to demonstrate by using the following scenario as an example. Let's say you recently moved your toddler from his crib to a big boy bed. He's been coming out of his room the past few nights and you think that you finally solved the problem.
And...scene.
You: I just put Billy to bed and I think he's finally down for the count.
Partner: He seemed really tired so I'm pretty sure he'll stay in bed.
You: (already with Scotch in hand feeling the warmth from its affects): Here's hoping, my friend. (Sigh) Here's hoping.
(Stare off into the distance and squint).
End scene.
6) If you ever need to reinvent yourself because you've done something completely humiliating or committed a felony, just put on a wig and sunglasses. Your friends, family and the police department will be none the wiser.
Any time you feel like your life is spinning out of control, watch a soap opera. You’ll feel better about yourself in no time.