Mr. Potato Head and Me
Last Christmas, my husband and I did most of our shopping on Amazon. (Prime for the win!) One night while searching for toddler toys, Mr. Potato Head popped up on the computer screen. “Aw! I remember him. Let’s get one for the kids!” I exclaimed. Mr. Potato Head is inexpensive and nostalgic so we added the spud to our shopping cart. Christmas morning came and went, and I didn’t give much thought to Mr. Potato Head until one afternoon when I discovered my toddler joyfully playing with the potato. She really enjoyed arranging and rearranging all the parts and pieces. Mr. Potato Head, or “Taytah Head,” as she so lovingly calls him, soon became her favorite toy.
Little did I know that tiny tater would become my arch nemesis.
A Taytah Head and a Toddler
My daughter became extremely attached to her spud bud. Everywhere we went she took the tater and all his pieces: eyes, mouth, tongue, glasses, feet, hat, mustache, and ears with her. If a piece went missing, a tater tantrum ensued. If one piece fell out of her reach during a car ride, she screamed for help. “I can’t get Mr. Potato Head’s glasses right now, Mommy is driving! We will look for them when we get home.” Whose idea was this again?
The Great Potato Head Mommy Meltdown
After a long day of momming so hard, I was DONE with the potato. “We need to hide that dumb Mr. Potato Head! I need a break. The madness has to stop! Ugh, I wish we had never ordered it!” I yelled to my husband.
Every evening around five o’clock, my husband walks through the door, gives me a kiss, and gets down on the floor to play with our children. I hear him practicing colors, numbers, words ,and rhymes with our daughter and keeping the baby content so I can finish dinner. On this particular evening, Mr. Potato Head was the toy of choice. I had already spent my whole day being frustrated with the potato head and now my husband was searching for the little pieces that were probably scattered all over the house and somewhere under the car seat.
I didn’t want to think about that potato for one more minute and when my husband asked where Mr. Potato Head’s other arm was, I was ready to “french fry” that spud!
The Potato and Patience
I’ve thought about hiding it, tossing it in the trash, conveniently leaving it at the park, and even throwing it off the highest mountain peak in Albuquerque–one little piece at a time. Later, tater!
Why did this rotten russet hold such power over me?
I realized I could continue to be annoyed or choose to practice patience. So now whenever my daughter cries over lost limbs or gets frustrated when she can’t get the mustache to fit with the nose, I will pause and take a deep breath. Instead of rolling my eyes, I will bend down to help. I will try my best to take each opportunity to help my toddler learn and grow rather than let my frustration win.
A New Potato Perspective
Mr. Potato Head and I have come a long way together. I still have to work on my frustration level, but it is getting better. Like any problem I face, I have to make an intentional choice. Instead of viewing life’s annoyances as an obstacle in my day, I can choose to view them as an opportunity to grow. Rather than seeing Mr. Potato Head as an inconvenience, I can view him as an invitation to help my daughter. And I know there will be many choices in motherhood to be frustrated or to practice patience. So, thank you, Mr. Potato Head! I choose patience.
I love it!!!
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