Our 100th Post By Anita Renfroe
Posted by Stephanie | Filed under SoMo Favs
I love that the revered state of Southern Motherhood has a website that reps us and does us proud. Having been a southern mom for my entire motherhood career and a second career in comedy (after I spent my first career developing all my material for my second), I feel that I may be uniquely equipped to discuss the various regional advantages to raising kids here in our distinctive region. I hereby offer a commemorative Top 5 (10 was just too much to muster in middle of Dog Days. If you don’t know what Dog Days are, it’s hot and we move slow this time of year). So here, for your reading and reposting and emailing pleasure, I present to you:
Top 5 Reasons Why Being a Southern Mother Totally Rocks:
1. We firmly believe in the concepts of “Outside” and “Barefeet”
The sanity-saving parental strategy of, “I need you to go outside and play for awhile,” is firmly entrenched in the pantheon of Things Southern Moms Say Right Before They Lose It. “Outside” is a destination all its own with wonders that cannot be discovered nor enjoyed in the air-conditioned environs. There are dirty dirt piles, cool green grass, cloud formations, fresh oxygen and a CHANCE FOR MOM TO HEAR HERSELF THINK FOR JUST 10 MINUTES IF THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK OF THE UNIVERSE RIGHT NOW. Which leads me to…
2. Southern Moms Have More Emotional Range
When discussing and actress’s skill-set, directors often speak of her “range” – the breadth of emotions she can convey given the complexity of a character. This is a good thing. It is also super useful when parenting. A good southern mom knows this. We can actually rachet up any directive or discussion with our offspring through varying methods we have witnessed from our mamas and their mamas before them. And it is purposeful; getting all exorcised about something it is not merely because we need to be heard, it’s because we need SOMEONE to change their mind about SOMETHING. We start off with a provocative passive/aggressive statement meant to kick off intended discussion. When we see that no one is coming around to our clearly superior way of thinking we can move quickly through vapors, sinking spells, crying jags until we land at the jewel in the southern mother’s emotional crown, The Full Blown Hissy Fit. And we “throw” or “pitch” these. It’s quite intense. Often men and children will vacate the premises believing that there is nothing to be done about it/gained from it, but other women will stay around to watch (because we know it’s a spectator sport AND we might pick up some tips for the next one WE might need to pitch).
3. Family Names
Down south, first names that are odd-but-of-historical-importance family names still linger. Southern moms don’t have to look through the baby book names to come up with unique names. Heck! We’ve had them in the family for years! We don’t care if the name is cumbersome, hard to spell, difficult to pronounce or rife with bad juju, if it’s a family name, we take pride in perpetrating the nomenclature crime from generation to generation. We saddle our kids and expect them to bear the 6th generation family name with grace and dignity. We also consider it “character building,” (a category in which we also place large noses, crazy uncles and you’ll-have-to-sit-this-season-out sports injuries).
4. Family Reunions
We still love a good gathering of distant kin and any excuse to eat and play softball beats no excuse. It is somehow comforting to know that, no matter how bizarre the relatives are on some branches of the family tree or how shallow the gene pool gets in certain spots, we all still have a place at the picnic table once a year. It also provides a moment of gratitude as we bow our heads and pray the mother’s cherished prayer, “Dear Lord, I thank you that my child is not as ill-behaved as my cousin’s little hellions. Amen”
5. Manners still matter here.
It’s hard enough to teach kids to have a modicum of the skills that grease the social skids without living somewhere where the culture doesn’t enforce your values of respect for elders, authority and society at large. Although we have sent out into the world our share of social rebels, authors and rock stars, they pretty much all retained the manners that their mama-an-em instilled. In the immortal words of Elvis Aaron Presley, “Thank you, thank you vury much.”
Renfroe, who some have described as “this generation’s Erma Bombeck” has been a featured comedian on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and has filmed a sitcom pilot for Sony/ABC co-starring Ryan Stiles and the late Dixie Carter. Renfroe’s talent has been embraced by such top media outlets as “Dr.Phil,” CBS’s “The Early Show,” Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” XM Satellite Radio Network’s “Oprah & Friends,”Inside Edition,” The Gospel Music Channel and others. Anita tours with her own comedy concerts and inspirational women’s conferences where she routinely packs out venues across the United States. Renfroe and her husband John live in Atlanta and have three children, Calvin, Austin and Elyse, one daughter in law (Lisa), ONE GRANDBABY (happy dance, happy dance!) and a maltipoo named Maggie.
… And we would like to thank Anita (vury much) for squeezing us in in the middle of her national comedy tour. Check out her schedule here at www.anitarenfroe.com to see if she will be in your area … you are sure to LOL, ROFL or STOYNFLSH! (“spit tea out your nose from laughing so hard”). I also have to add one more of her videos that just so happens to be my personal favorite. Anita sums this one up as “Sometimes the best gift your husband can get you is a sitter.”
NOW TO THE GIVEWAYS:
Three (3) lucky winners will win a book/dvd prize pack (The book: Don’t say I didn’t warn you … Kids, Carbs, and the Coming Hormonal Apocalypse and the dvd: Big Ol Sweet Iced Tea).
HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:
It’s easy — just follow us AND Anita on Twitter or become a subscriber or member on Southern Momentum and give Anita a shout-out by leaving a comment on this post.
22 Responses to “Our 100th Post By Anita Renfroe”
Leave a Reply
August 23rd, 2010 at 7:27 am
Thanks for the laughs Anita! Great post.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:24 pm
These were hilarious and so true!! I LOVE going outside in our barefeet, but my husband is ruining that adventure. He’s watching too much of that TV show “Monsters Inside Me” about parasites. Some people pick them up after being outside without shoes on. I don’t care. I don’t like shoes.
On another note, I hope the offer still stands to guest post! I am going to try to finish my post this week! Looking forward to it.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:28 pm
I had to read number 3 to my son, whose name is “Watt” after – yes – his great-grandaddy from South Georgia. I recently heard him clarify his name for a new friend. He said “you know, like kilowatt.” Poor little guy.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Very FUNNY!!!!! Great post!!!
http://www.jatyourservice.blogspot.com
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:55 pm
I loved your post, especially the first part when you discuss sending your kids “outside”. I am overloaded with all the volunteer jobs I’m doing right now and my kids are driving me bonkers so I would love to tell them to “go outside”, but I’m am such a worrier that I’m too scared to send them out without me in fear they will get run over and picked up by a weirdo!
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Thanks, Anita! You always make me laugh. And may I just say…that video is my all time favorite of yours!
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:41 pm
You made me laugh…thank you!
I found your blog on the Bloggy Mom’s website…follow me I follow you.
I’m following you (google)…will you follow me? check out my blog http://mommetime.com/ … I’m also on facebook; my facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/blogmommetimecom/127209970658640 …I am trying to increase my “likes”… Thanks, Amy
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Following Anita and SOMO on Twitter (@carlastamps).
And I tell my kids all the time, “You know, Grandma used to just make us go outside….!”.
August 23rd, 2010 at 4:22 pm
This is awesome. I’m going to forward this immediately to my British husband’s computer, as he constantly complains that he doesn’t understand some aspect of our unique Southern culture. Usually, this is during one of our long goodbyes. Southern women can make “goodbye” last way longer than the initial conversation.
And love the comment about names. I had a grandpa named King and one named Brown. My dad’s middle name is the initial “B.” Doesn’t stand for anything. Just “B.” And he swears there’s a family member named “Baby Girl” because the parents saw that on the hospital bracelet and thought the hospital had already named her.
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Funny stuff Anita! Thanks! Amanda, so true about the goodbyes and Baby Girl? That’s a hoot!
August 24th, 2010 at 5:50 am
Wow! Thank you for the brilliant and fun perspective to spark up the start of my week.
I particularly like what you have to say about the manners aspect. Coming from the Midwest, it took me awhile to get used to the “ma’ams” — but respectful and polite children in this day and age are a beautiful thing. Another reason I’m so grateful to be here. And also grateful to be encouraged by wise and witty women like you!
Thanks!
August 24th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Thanks for following New To Mom. I’m following back. I’m also following you and Anit on Twitter, @newtomom for the giveaway!
She came to an event here in Sioux City and she was sooooo funny! I lov her.
August 24th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Anita is hilarious! I saw this video before, but it sure is good to see it again and have a good laugh! I wish I had her energy.
Your blog was really good & funny, love the pic with Anita! Not only have you inspired your own kids, YOU have inspired me and your blog gets my Momentum going to enjoy life more! Even if you cleaned toilets for a living, I’d be proud of you!! haha Love, your Mom
August 24th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Hi there,
New follower here from the Tuesday Blog Hops. Cute blog, love the header.
Please drop by anytime you have a moment.
Thanks, Marie
The Things We Find Inside
August 24th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for following me! Awesome site:) I your newest follower!
~Kenna
August 24th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Very funny! I like the family reunions. I am with you about wanting to get together with family, food and have fun! You have a new follower! Come and visit Mama’s Little Chick! Have a great day!
Mama Hen
http://www.mamaslittlechick.com
August 24th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I love you, man.
No, really…I do. Before I even knew that you would be guest posting, I paid homage to you in my post entitled “Sing, Sing, Sing.” You’re SO spot-on about many issues here, my favorite being the “Southern Manners” bit. My only gripe about raising kids in the midwest is that “Yessir” and “Noma’am” are considered over-the-top. Pshaw. Thanks for the laughs!
August 24th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I am a new follower Organic Girl
August 25th, 2010 at 7:47 am
This has definitely made my day!! A must for anyone with kids and a hectic life!! Thanks Anita and the girls at Southern MoMentum. Following on Twitter @sissyandjacks.
August 26th, 2010 at 7:38 am
I’m so late to the party, but then isn’t that just part of my charm? Anita Renfrow is a blast and I just couldn’t contain myself. Awesome!
September 1st, 2010 at 8:30 am
I’m a subscriber!!
I ♥ you, Anita! Can’t wait to read your books!!
September 9th, 2010 at 8:06 am
I’m a new follower and I’m enjoying your site. What a great find. Us southern moms and bloggers have to stick together. I love Anita too! I got to see her in action when she was the guest speaker at a local church a couple of years back. I went home that night and told my husband as much as I could remember from the show and then had to repeat it all to my mom the next day. She’s great.