3 Things Rock and Roll & Motherhood Have in Common

At first, it would seem like they’re two really different topics, right? Rock and Roll=black and red, devil horns, no structure, late nights and chaos…oh, wait. That’s kind of the same. But babies are pink and blue and fuzzy bunnies…but if you start connecting the dots, they have more in common than you may think.

1. Both require the ability to pack like a sherpa for even a brief outing.

Ever seen a band loading out after a show? They’re carrying road cases, pushing huge amps, got cables looped around their arms, bags full of god knows what hanging from their elbows as they totter down rickety ramps.

Kinda reminds me of when I had baby babies, and packed for 45 minutes for a trip to the Post office and grocery store. I’d arrive,  unsnap the carseat, unfold the stroller, pop it in, unload the bag, and realize I had no pants on. OK, not really, but believe me, it COULD have happened. Then, complete my 5 minute errand, and do it all again in reverse. Rock and roll and motherhood=Not for sissies.

2. Limited Opportunities for Personal Hygiene

A touring band generally doesn’t stay in a hotel every night. They sleep on their bus, in a van, or on a generous fan’s floor. They don’t have access to laundry, so jeans may get worn a week at a stretch. Every few days, they’ll get a hotel day room and take turns taking showers. But in general, the standards are not the same as your average 9-5 folks. That’s not to say bands smell bad- deoderant is a wonderful thing.

Even now, when I’m the only parent at home, showering opps. are peppered with shouts and screams from the children. If I DON’T hear them, I start screaming, “HEY!!! Everything OK down there?” Only to be met with, “W’s swimming in the fishtank!” or some equally reassuring statement. So yeah, my legs don’t get shaved as often as I might like.

3. Bootstraps and Rubber bands- Neccessity Is the Mother of Invention

When a band is on the road, things come up. They may arrive at a club to find that the PA system isn’t working, only to have their sound guy work feverishly for hours to get it up and running. Or, an amp may have shifted in transit, breaking tubes and requiring a frantic scramble between opening bands to see who has something that may work. From guitar strings to cables, there are a myriad of technical details that need to go EXACTLY right to make a show come off as planned.

Not unlike the intricate ballet required to ensure that a toddler’s french toast has no crust and burn marks, the underwear is the non-itchy kind with no tags, the rubber bands in the hair don’t pull- and of course,  that the kid has the proper stuffed animal required for sleep. Any one detail a mom drops the ball on can spell disaster for small people- how many of us have tried to give the wrong color popsicle to a shrieking kid, only to be met with an epic FAIL that turns into meltdown?

So basically, yeah, we’re rockstars. Now, where are my roadies?

Any other similarities?