9 Things I Wish the Internet Would Stop Telling Me What to Do

To date, I have the utmost respect for anyone in authority. This explains why I never made it as a super villain. Drat!

Have a white coat? Of course I’ll take the full course of antibiotics, Sir.

Lots of framed diplomas on your wall? You’re right, I have latent resentment toward my parents who kindly gave me your number and are watching my kids so I could meet with you.

You wrote a book!? (They don’t let just anyone be in books!) I will absolutely institute your “Perfect Kids in 9 Seconds” plan immediately! (Note: I’m in a few books. Turns out they DO let anyone be in books.)

Ok, I’m not that bad. In fact, getting older has brought with it a new-found sense of confidence. I’m more apt to trust my gut, conduct my own research to solve a problem, and speak up when I disagree with the advice of an “expert.”

But the Interwebs don’t seem to care about my newly acquired gift of discernment. No, the internet seems hell-bent on telling me what to do… And I’ve had enough!

9 Things I Wish the Internet Would Stop Telling Me To Do:

• 9. Stop eating these 5 foods unless I want to spend my life fat and miserable. Because having them show up in my newsfeed in all their carbo glory every 37 minutes is really helping me break the habit.

• 8. Wrap It! I’ll be honest, I have seen first-hand the results of these things and it works! Truly. However, until someone creates something that willingly wraps itself around my face and, most importantly, covers my mouth, ain’t nothing going to help these thighs.

• 7. Drink water packed with fruit. Do you know how much time it takes to cut three cups of fruit? Not to mention how expensive that much fruit would be? And who the hell is wants to carry around an 11 pound mason jar of mushy fruit they can’t eat?

• 6. Get more sleep. Well, no shit Sherlock. Who doesn’t need more sleep? My kids are not little anymore; I can no longer execute the dinner-bath-bed routine. They have practice and rehearsal and homework. And we want to watch The Voice together so we can -drool over Adam- watch these talented young singers rise to stardom. None of those things can be accomplished by 7:30. So if I went to bed earlier I would have the same schedule as my 9 and 11.5 year old. Translation: I would literally be the lamest person on the planet.

• 5. Drink wine. I don’t like wine. Never have. Never will. So stop telling me that wine will cure cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease, replace exercise, solve the problems in the Middle East, end global warming, and ease the pain that came with Gwen’s departure from The Voice. Now, if you have something positive to say about whiskey, I’m all ears…

• 4. Cease and desist all K-Cup usage. Listen, I do my part. I reduce, reuse, recycle. My house is in a virtual state of darkness to conserve energy. My freaking grass is as dry as the Sahara because we are following all the California enforced drought measures. I drink one cup of coffee a day, people. One cup! Can’t I have the convenience of 30 brainless seconds while my coffee virtually makes itself? Is nothing sacred? (Side note: No matter how strong my decision making powers have become, I have no hope against the power of guilt. I switched to a reusable K-Cup. Now if someone tells me the plastic is causing cancer… it’s gonna get ugly up in here!)

• 3. Throw out every item in my pantry or fridge because my food is killing me. I’m a pretty smart person. (I’m in books, remember?) Nonetheless, I’ve made it 40 years, so it’s safe to say I’m relatively intelligent-ish. I know how to read a label. I understand that my food should not make five stops from its original location to my table. I am smart enough to recognize the politics and economics involved in the food industry. And not everything is a government conspiracy to make me sick and empower the pharmaceutical industry. Nor will it make me grow a third nipple.

• 2. Buy pretty jewelry. I can get four pairs of hoop earrings for $5 at Target. Four pairs, I tell you!! Sure, it comes with the bonus of turning my ear black, but I try to look at that as a fashion statement and everyone knows black is slimming. Have you seen how thin my lobes look lately? And do you know how fabulous those $5 earrings look with my $20 workout pants from Costco?

And the number 1 thing I wish the internet would stop telling me to do:

• 1. Worry about my kid’s self-esteem. Have you spent any time with an 11-year-old boy? Have you? If so, then you know that 11-year-old boys think they are brilliant, good at everything, and generally winning at life. They know all the answers, even to the questions you have yet to ask. They’re always right no matter the evidence to the contrary. Regardless of the plan you have, they have a better one that conveniently results in them getting bigger, better or more than you originally projected. No one is as “boss” as they are. Of course, 11-year-old boys are also sweet, kind, and giving. Their psyches are as fragile as any other child, and we should always strive to protect it as well as their hearts. But based on the fact that I have to ask him nine times to put away his shoes before he actually realizes I’m speaking, I’m going to worry a little less about a stern voice, some consequences and even a little yelling crushing his precious self-esteem. Chances are he didn’t even hear me.

I am my own expert.

Vicky Willenberg is is a wife, mother and obsessive volunteer at her sons’ school. She works in Digital Marketing and Communications while juggling the class bake sale, folding laundry from two weeks ago and searching for the dog who escaped, yet again. You can find her chronicling the good, the bad and the hilarious on her blog, The Pursuit of Normal and on Facebook and Twitter Vicky has been featured on Scary Mommy, Mamalode, Mamapedia and BlogHer. She’s also had the privilege of being published in both HerStories Project anthologies.