I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. As inspiring as it is, it also has a way of making me feel sub-par when it comes to cooking, decorating, and especially parenting. I like to think I am a decent parent…. I make sure my kids are fed, clothed, loved, exercised, read to, exposed to different activities, and even a little cultured. But its people who post things like this that just make you feel like you are simply not doing enough.

What? Lavender dyed and scented rice for a calming bedtime activity? Just stop. Please. I throw on a cartoon, give the kids a bath, read them a story and that is about all I can handle by 7pm. As soothing as this bin of purple rice may be for the kids, the thought of it all over my living room floor stresses me out. This pin is being sent to my board entitled “Top 10 Most Ridiculous Pins I Swear I Will Never Try”. And in the new hashtag world that we live in, here is what I have to say about this: #overthetop #stopmakingmefeelikeacrappymom #mykidbeatupyourlavenderricekid

How about this for a soothing bedtime activity: Take your kids outside. Make them run laps around the house until they are red in the face and tired them out the good old fashioned way.

No lavender scented rice required.

I’m not bitter or jealous or trying to be mean, I promise. I think I’m just trying to make myself feel better. A defense mechanism. For all you lavender rice people out there… more power to you (and your vacuum cleaner!)

Oh, and tied for second place in my list of things I will never try is this:

Disaster waiting to happen.

And this has nothing to do with kids but is just plain weird:

What’s wrong with simply eating raw vegetables anymore?

My, it felt good to get that off my chest. Now excuse me while I go dismantle my soap box because if someone could prove that lavender rice increases cognitive abilities and would send my kids to Harvard, then I guess I’d do it too….but until then, I’ll stick to what I know.