Pretty Wicked Emily

Lifetime just premiered it’s newest reality show, Pretty Wicked Moms, about a bunch of moms who live the South and are all about themselves. The “Queen Bee” of the group is Emily, the boutique owner. Emily is a thirty-one year old of a two-year old daughter. She’s blonde, thin, has had a boob job, does Botox regularly and would rather’ slit her throat” than attend a child’s party.

Emily is the owner of Swank, a high-priced fashion boutique, which she says is the number one most important part of her life. Now, the other women in the Pretty Wicked Moms world are aghast that she would openly admit that she puts her business before her child, but I am more shocked at where her husband falls in the mix.

See, Emily has hired a full-time nanny to take care of her baby. And, when she actually does care for her child in a social situation, the kid is calling for Emily’s “Doggy Mom” friend, Nicole N. (not to be confused with “Alpha Mom” Nicole B.). Or she’s squirming for Daddy, Emily’s husband, to hold her. Although her baby is taken care of by other folks, Emily cherishes her sleep time with her baby. Every night she kicks her husband out of the bedroom so that she and her daughter can have snuggle time together. She feels this is her bonding time with her child.

Where does this leave Dad, on the sofa and number three on his wife’s priority list: Swank first, Baby second, and hubby third. Emily’s friends question her about intimacy, to which the business owner tells them that they do it on the weekends…in bed with their daughter, while she sleeps. WHAT!!!?

There are so many things that are just wrong with this scenario. I just want to delve into one. Businesses are important. She should feel proud that she created a successful boutique from the ground up. Babies are incredibly important. They are the result of love between two people. They want, love and need you. And, it’s our job to care from them. But, the most important priority in this situation needs to be the relationship between Mom  and Dad. If we put our work before our partners our relationships are destined to be strained and unhappy. When we put our children before our marriages, we teach our children to do the same, which often results in separation, divorce, infidelity, or, at best, a miser[image error]able partnership.

The thing is, when you put your partner first, it creates inner joy and builds self-confidence, which releases hormones that make us motivated, creative and more productive, which, in turn helps us at our swanky boutiques. It also makes the foundation of the family structure strong and stable, which makes Baby feel comfortable and safe. She also learns how to do the same when she is in her own marriage. It all starts with a strong love relationship. Then, everything else falls into place.

And, as far as weekend intimacy, Emily…put the baby in the damn crib! Come on.