A writer, a daughter, a wife, a sister, a mother, a lover, a friend, politically incorrect, spontaneous, opinionated, no fence-sitter, non-conformist-with-streaks-of behenji (!), voracious reader, music lover, hard-worker, brutally honest, baby-squeezer – I am all those – just like you. I am one of you. If you must slot me or put me in a box you could call me a mommy blogger. I don’t care either way. This little space of mine stars my son the Brat, my daughter the Bean and my husband or the Other Adult in this home, referred to as the OA and of course me, the Mad Momma.
A journalist, I am never short of words or ideas!! This blog is a record of my mad life, special moments, angst, discoveries and sundry things that hold my interest.. so you will find it updated really often.
I try to be fair but I also refuse to publish comments that I feel are tangential, racist, offensive, personal or needlessly provocative. It’s my personal space and like any establishment I reserve the right to entertain only those I choose too. Rude, anonymous comments will be deleted so please keep that in mind. I am fair – not a sucker!!
You can mail me at themadmomma@gmail.com – I can’t promise to reply soon, but I will reply.
And oh – I had another blog that I shut down but still get requests for. I can’t open that old blog, but I have begun to bring in a few posts from there. They fall under the Ye Olde Bloge category. Click on that button in the menu to read the archives.
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The Mad Momma 
hi madMomma π
Iβve always wanted to write to you..
A friend of mine once gave the link to your blog , and from then on, I check for posts almost everyday! Iβm a reader who easily loses interest in the middle of a read, but most of your posts hold my interest till the end..kudos!
I invite you to my blog, http://randomthoughtsandwhimsies.wordpress.com/ which is just born
Itβd be majorly about sharing random thoughts π and Iβd love to see your comments there.
MM,
I came upon your blog from a link on my friend’s blog (oftalesuntold.wordpress.com). I must say….I love your blog..Period! Every post has captivated me, i just gobbled up all the posts about Brat and Bean. Being the mother of an active 21-month old…i could visualize their antics. God bless them!
Love,
Rakhee
I love the bit in your header which says
“Kidzophrenic mother. One part opinion. Two parts enthusiasm and humour. Shaken not stirred”
Very suitable, and very very nice.
MadMomma,
I saw your blog @ Twisted DNA. I haven’t gotten to reading your blog completely but I am taking it as an action item for this weekend.
From what I read I really love your blog.
I will be honored if you visit my blog too
http://lafemmereva.blogspot.com
Wow! I missed the whole ‘D’ debate…And i really dont know what to say. I cant understand why people have to take everything so personally… and whats this with attacking each other…
Why D took offence is not something that I still understand. But so many people relentlessly arguing, talking about hypocrisy, ‘high roads’ etc is like too much.. What surprises me even more is that some people seem to be mushy gushy at other times but take the first opportunity to hit back hard…. i suppose its their own insecurity which makes them do that…whatever…
I know this discussion is over… and i know you are not taking any more comments, but just wanted to say ‘big hug’ π
and your hug is well timed and much needed..thank you
MM, since one cannot comment on ur current post, am posting this link here. A lot of your readers are from Bangalore, and could use this information. Its crucial.
If you want to help Rashmi, please do join in. I have been so sad since i read that horror story… over 6 hours ago and everything reminds me of a 41 week baby lost so cruelly and casually..
http://vijayashankar.wordpress.com/2009/06/04/all-about-wockhardt-bannerghatta-road-bangalore/
Hello Mad Momma,
i heard a lot about your posts from Priya, and always wanted to visit ur page. just reading one of posts got me hooked. i loved it, just loved it.
i am amrita, ‘amu’ for my friends, live in Calcuta, work as a copywriter in a small creative agency and married to a filmmaker.
i am not very regular with blogs but i am making an extra effort to improve.
i will be a regular visiters of ur page from today.
cheers to ur spirit!
From kolkata?! oh i love your city..
Hi MM,
I have been meaning to write to you since a long time … here i go π
My sister chanced upon your blog and intorduced me to it; we have been regulars since then. We love the way you write and can relate to most of the things that you write about, esp ‘the brat and the bean’ tales π
Your entry for the Mother’s day contest was very cute…n we both had voted for you..glad that you won the contest…[know its a little too late…but nevertheless]
Cheers!!
Priya.
why, thats so sweet of you and I won too – so thank you!
Hi MM,
I love your blog. I was reading a bit about the Pink Chaddi campaign and then about Nisha Susan, and blog to blog to blog.. somehow ended up here. I have to say I was immediately made a fan. My name is Anjali and am a beginner blogger. I don’t have as great of a grip on words or for that matter, ideas. But I hope reading thoughts from wiser, more-worldly people like you would help me formulate my own thoughts and opinions. (=
Will be back here soon to read more.
thanks Anjali – i hope to see you around too π
Hey Mad Momma,
I just love your nom de plume! quite apt for a large number of us floating around! Lovely blog! looking forward to many more interesting reads on it!
Regards,
Nidhi.
its nice to know i’m not alone!
Just curious – Why did you choose the name mad momma? is life driving you mad or your madness is driving life?
:)maybe both?
Hi! I am sorry to be asking this random question to you… and I want to warn you that it may sound totally creepy, but I just HAD to ask this question to women of our age… so here is a question I have for you and your readers: Does your husband/boyfriend/guy-friends still watch porn?? Even they are in their late 20s or early 30s??
See, I had this almost heated argument with a (30 year old) guy-friend of mine today… I told him that my 29 year old ex (whom I was dating until very recently) does not watch porn. Atleast he has never watched it after he started dating me, which was like 3-4 years ago. I am dead sure he has not lied to me, and I know him like the back of my hand, and I know for sure that he did not watch porn while he was with me and he said he would not enjoy watching porn anymore (now that we were together!) and thats why he doesn’t see the point in watching porn or going to the strip club for a lap dance or any such stuff, you know. And my guy-friend almost went crazy laughing! He said that my ex had been ‘feeding me with cool-aid’ and I should come back to reality and accept that my ex was not being himself in front of me! He said ALL guys watch porn, period! He said I was a fool to live in such a deception thinking my then boyfriend doesn’t watch porn! And this guy friend of mine does not even know my ex personally! So I was like, dude I know him better, right… and I know for SURE he didn’t watch it for the 3 years he was with me. Yet, no matter what I said my friend totally disregarded my words and said there can’t exist a guy especially of the age of my ex, who doesn’t watch porn! I was like, isn’t porn usually the thing among guys who are a lot younger, like teenagers… maybe many guys eventually grow up to just be done with it completely! But no matter what I said, my friend insisted that I have a lot to learn about guys! π¦
Now, this is for CERTAIN that my ex really didn’t watch porn while he was with me and no matter what my friend says, I know this for sure… 100%! But is my ex an exception? Do really ALL men actually watch porn? I really for some reason do not think I would be able to date men who watch porn… you know to me, they would just not seem matured enough, nor dignified enough. Somehow I cannot explain it, but I do not see myself dating men who watch porn! Am I being unrealistic or too stuck up? I really thought I was a drama-free, matured, fun girl friend to my boyfriend. Do you think I actually need to unwind a little and be more open (than I already am, bcos it’s a lot already I feel) if I want to date men in future?
To begin with, this porn thing was almost a non-issue for me, but after so comfortably dating a guy who does not indulge in it, and after today’s argument with my friend, I kinda feel less confident about meeting the right person, with whom I can be 100% happy, comfortable and compatible! π¦ I don’t know… this adds up to my preexisting worry of being so old (28) and still not ‘settled’ in life! Please tell me what you think, Mad Momma & Mad Momma’s friends!
π come on Megha – you know the answer to that! I can bet you none of the men will admit! on the other hand you’ve left the comment in the about page, that no one will really check…
Well, to begin with, most of your posts are cute clean baby related posts and I didn’t want to ‘contaminate’ them with some porn related topic! Hence my comment is here. MM, do write a meaty posts totally by the adults, of the adults and for the adults na… then I can ask all my single woman questions to take a crash course on ‘men’ (which I absolutely didn’t think I needed until very recently *sigh*)! I would love to get some opinions of more ladies our age!
Hey Megha, I know this is WAY overdue, but I got introduced to MM’s blog just recently! So I cudn’t have helped u earlier…
I am a 24-year old guy and I haven’t/don’t/won’t watch porn… it simply disgusts me and I am sure I am not the only guy…
There are many I am sure who find the sensual and the subtle more arousing that pure porn…
I hope this relieves your doubts to an extent ! ofcourse its been almost 7 months since u asked ! hope ur questioned was answered Long back ! But anyway – my 2 cents!
@MM: Sorry to be commenting o such old posts! I just needed to ler her know!
Here I come, to save the day! Megha, I’m a 24-year-old guy. My two paise:
(1) Almost all adolescents in our class of society watch some degree of porn. This continues into the early twenties for most men
(2) After a few years one sees pretty much all there is to see, and then it all becomes boring
(3) Nevertheless, we sometimes need a bit of timely ‘inspiration’
(4) I doubt I’ll be watching porn when I’m 28 or 30
(5) On the other hand, I doubt I’ll have deleted my collection either (see point 3 above– besides, I like to archive stuff)
(6) Your guy friend may have confused ‘watching porn’ with what people do when they watch porn! Otherwise, what he says isn’t true, so chill.
Hope that helps. Yours was such a strange comment, I had to reply! And you did ask for opinions.
There you go Megha – hope this helped!
Oh Perakath… you had started giving me hope in life till I reached (5)! lol
Yeah, actually what you’ve said was pretty much the idea (atleast close) I had to begin with, so I guess my faith in the existence of my ‘soul-mate’ somewhere there, has been restored by your reply! lol
My friend actually said that they ‘watch’ porn… I mean he explicitly mentioned and meant ‘watch’… not just fantasize or a little bathroom action, if that is what you mean! But now I just like to believe that he said that out of vengeance (he is my ex, after all)! π
Anyway thanks man.
I recently got introduced to your blog by a friend. I am a proud mummy of an adorable one year old… Life changed after he graced our lives… Its amazing how every mom feels the same way. Your blog is amazingly real – while I was reading some archives and some recent ones, I had tears in my eyes. I guess a feeling of “so true!”, “exactly”!… a feeling of knowing what you saying.
Our lives revolve around our lil baby. Watching him learning to walk, trying to say some words, reinforcing himself… all is so beautiful!
I just wanted to thank you for having such a wonderful space.. Will be tuned in. π
thank you for a lovely note.
Hi!
I was asked to read your blogs by my Big brother Dalton Eddy .
I have just started blogging( eddys.posterous.com) after a lot of encouragement from my friends chiefly my good pal Kiruba Shankar ,who is consideed amongst the top 10 bloggers in Asia!!
But discouragement and critisicm usually come from immediate family and being the youngest doesnt help really!!!
Anyway I did read your blog and did like it as it was recommended by the big brother who thinks that your the cats whiskers when it comes to blogging!!
Regards,
Samuel Eddy
π thanks
A dedication:
Enjoy!
thank you π
MM π
It IS a SMALL SMALL world. I need to email you. Or better still, I’ll get hold of your number from SMM and text you asap.
And you were at the same Indian Ocean concert at Attitude! So close, sooo close!!!
ah ha π I see you made the connection
Oh!A small world indeed!
Thank you so much MM for your kind support… we really appreciate from the bottom of our heart…
Sheetal Ramji Barde
support 4 suicide farmers families
Wardha: 442001
Ph: +91 89830 04533
you are most welcome. i wish i could do more.
Hey..I was looking for blogs by Indian women and I stumbled across ur blog…I love ur style of writing..:)
Hi,
I came across your blog while search for blogs on kids and I have read most of your post and just wanted to let you know that I like them very much.
Regards
Jay
nice blog………………..
Hi, nice to meet you !
Hi MM,
I have been a longtime reader of your blog and thought it was time i de-lurked to let you know that i just LOVE the way you write. As someone said reading your posts is like therapy for me . So even though you may no longer have a regular PAYING job in terms of money just know that your writing is very very useful to a lot of women and hence more important in terms of satisfaction than any payslip.
BTW- i am praying you get to write your own column! I shall be a regular reader!
hi MM,
m new to blogosphere…hav read parul,y,rohini,itchy,kiran,newmumontheblock etc…back to back with all archives…n wud love to read ur posts frm the vry begining…hw do i get “invited”(if at all tht is) to ur other blog on blogger?
thanks
Mini
hey Mini
the old blog on blogger is shut down for good and no invites are up π¦
but this one’s good too π
MM
hey MM, ofcrse it’s gud tht’s y m yearning fr mor.i feel lyk m readng a book frm the middle…anyways..wil make do. Thanks fr rplyng
π anywhere you start is the middle! even that one started a good year after the Brat was born. trust me – it was only rambling.
Hello. Hello. Your blogs make for happy reading. Please enable me to read them. Also, i don’t have a blog of my own. Can u help?
I am so happy I discovered your blog…..very engrossing and honest representation….we have something in common: 2 kids, ceaserean…..I’ll be following your thoughts…..you can visit me at
http://sprigblossoms.blogspot.com/
Good day!!
Hi Madmomma,
It was an absolute delight to read your blog! One of our client is interested in getting in touch with you.
Could you please pass me your contact details on ankur@everymedia.in.
Thanks
Ankur
sure – details are available in the About section. Mail me themadmomma@gmail.com
Not able to access your new domain, MM –
Bandwidth Limit Exceeded
The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to the site owner reaching his/her bandwidth limit. Please try again later.
Apache Server at themadmomma.in Port 80
And comments are closed on your latest post.
Dear Mad Momma,
I stumbled across your blog from IHM, and here’s from somewhere else, and I totally love your blog! I have been spending the last couple of weeks at office going through all your archives and I think I’ve read most of your posts π (In my defence, it was a rather lazy week at office :P)
I’m 22 years old and I have a terrific rapport with my mother, and I guess that your kids and I should both be glad we have such awesome moms! God bless you and keep writing! π
Oh, I write very rarely – I maintain a personal journal on a regular basis, but do check out my blog sometime π
http://justme-saranya.blogspot.com/
blog rolling you π
Hello Mad Momma!
The first day on your blog, and a veritable mine of emotions! I am relatively new to the blog world, and reading about your children made me smile throughout. You remind me of my parents – the easy nature, the fierce concern and letting the child grow as he/she desires.
It was great being here, and I know I will find myself here again π
Regards
TurbulentMind
Dear MM:
As you are aware that our Social Livelihoods project – Leveraging Tourism for Creating Sustainable Livelihoods in Rural Uttarakhand- has been shortlisted as part of the Mahindra and Mahindra `Spark-the-Rise’ program. The support from Mahindra and Mahindra is dependent on the number of votes the project can garner. I therefore seek your help to reach out to your blog followers to request them to please give their 30 seconds to our initiative.
The voting procedure is simple:
1. Please click the following link here- http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5848
2. Press VOTE button at top right in green block.
3. Login using FB id and password
4. A successful login will take you the project page with VOTED written on top right.
This project is an alternative livelihoods model- built around rural life, heritage, environment and knowledge, with the village community at the centre of the planning process- to promote tourism, in a manner that it enhances the opportunities for rural communities through community owned operations. As part of this project, we are restoring houses in ruins as per traditional pahari architecture. In addition to this, we are also doing capacity building in the hospitality, agriculture and handicrafts to expand the scope of the rural tourism. All these initiatives will help arrest migration, generate employment, improve yield of agri produce & livestock, and increase incomes through sale of handicrafts eventually leading to higher value of land ownership- that will stay with the village owners.
Look forward too your help and support as always!
Best regards
Alok
http://www.saurproject.blogspot.in.
I read one of your blogs that was published in the sunday magazine of The Indian Express and found it really interesting. I would like to follow your blog (so that I can get updates on email) but I cannot find the option on any of the pages. Please let me know if there is a way.
You did? I don’t think anyone asked me for it. Can you tell me the date/issue? Thanks a lot. As for the follow option, I don’t know if WP has one at all. π¦
Oh! I am sorry then..Maybe I never read it in the Indian Express. I had read about another mommy blog (I think it was mommygolightly) in the sunday magazine of IE and thought that I had probably stumbled upon yours there. Evidently, it does not seem to be the case! Now I am seriously wondering how I landed up on your blog in the first place! π Its a nice discovery anyway, and I really wish there was an option to follow your blog! I am way too forgetful to check on it regularly.
I like your attitude towards life Mad Momma! Keep it up.. atleast you have a personality
Regards
PS
http://www.kopykitab.com
Umm… thanks? π
Hi MM,
Love your Blog
So, I just nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award. Follow http://zinalbhadra.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/221/and accept your award. Congratulations!
Hi,
Your blog was mentioned in the HT Brunch and that’s how I came across it. I have 2 boys, the elder one’s 7th bday in a few days, younger one’s 2.6. Your “about me” could have been about me!
I read some of your posts and not only do I like your style of writing, I identify with a lot of things you say too. I’m so glad I’ve found ur blog π
Dollie
Forgot to ask you, how do I follow ur blog? There’s no follow by email option nor any way I can add it to the google reader (RSS feed option). I did select the “notify me of new posts via email” button so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will get the notification.
Dollie
It was? What was it in connection to?
π As for following my blog – I know you can add me to the RSS feed. IS that not working?
Dear MM,
I ‘m a new blogger and a mom to a 1year old baby and could relate to your posts instantly.i am an avid reader of femina and got your address through it…i had an instant connection to your posts and had been loving reading your blogs from the day i was introduced….lastly i now feel i shud say a thankyou to you…coz with your posts you are making my grey cells work…i work as as EA to a CEO ,my profile keep me busy from 9-6pm but i’m making sure that i take tym in the day to read your blog,coz after reaching home…i’m busy with my little brat.
While reading your thoughts….one thing i could say is that you enjoy ur life to the minute if the minute…which is what i like about about you….
love an hugs to you and the little ones…
swapna
Thank you π Glad you’re enjoying the blog.
Hi MM,
Came by your blog by chance when i had nothing much to do on a Sunday evening and just surfing the net…. and i am hooked!! I dont read too many blogs and even if read i dont really approach to comment etc. just lurk around. But yours.. i was compelled to let you know how you have changed my perspective of life and motherhood. And i thank you for the very bottom of my heart for that. How and why? well.., i have two lovely kids aged 5 and 3 and they are fantastic.. but i have been always right from the start to now cribbed cribbed and cribbed about their tantrums, the workload, the lack of me space et el…..and your well written blog shook me out of this insipid state of mind. You have taught me that i need to open up my eyes and heart to them and their antics irrespective of all the negatives that comes with them. they are just being kids.
i have read your blog two days continuous in a row ignoring my kids, my house and almost everything. i read your posts from 2009 to now like a novel.. page by page, devouring every article ..if anytime you plan to write a book..you dont need to.. just take all your articles and make that your book.. i am sure it will be a instant hit with all moms..I wish i could write like you with such clear thoughts and language. Keep up the fantastic writing.. loved every article every minute.. love the brat and bean.. just love them .. bean reminds me of my own daughter, fierce, independent, mind of her own,
take care and god bless you and your family.
Thank you, Maina. I love discovering new readers and new readers discovering me!
I think I wrote a post about this on my older blog. I’m afraid I was rather brusque when I wrote it, but that was the point of it – that kids come as package deals of sleepless nights, bumps, bruises, diaper changes etc. So why do people complain about them – didn’t they know they were signing up for this?
Which is not to say I am calm and zen. On the contrary I am the most impatient mother I know! But well, just as I accept my kids for the people they are, I expect them to accept me for the short tempered woman I am.
Love to your babies too,
MM
Want to connect with u
You can mail me at themadmomma@gmail.com
Hi MM , yours is one of the best blogs I have come across. I find you so humane and still in love with old world charm . God bless u and ur family
Hi MM
Immensely enjoyable, this stuff.
Quite reminiscent of what a Mrs. M writes for FT.
Anyway, great writing. Big fan. God bless.
Hi, I have been reading your blog from 2006 and have really liked so many opinion of yours. Some of my friends are discussing about who is responsible for rape; As I have liked your opinions I have forwarded your articles to them. I hope you dont mind. Thats why I have bean searching your old archives.
Thank you,
Ambica
Hello,
My name is Priyanka and I am part of the Digital team at Perfect Relations. We have been working with the online community for various events and product/service reviews for our clients in the past. Our clientele ranges from popular Hotels, Hospitality brands, Lifestyle , FMCG, Corporate brands etc.
I would like to know if we can share an event invite with you for an International Theater festival for children.
Please let me know how we can connect.
My details are as below:
Best Regards,
Priyanka Sethi
Associate Executive
Perfect Relations Pvt. Ltd.
S 27, Second Floor, Star City, Mahatta Towers
District Centre, Mayur Vihar Phase I, Delhi – 110091
Tel: 91-11-46667666
Mobile: +91 9958170101
Follow us: Twitter | Connect: Facebook Visit: PRCIMS
India Consultancy of the Year 2013 β The Holmes Report
And today I find out what OA stands for, thanks to a mis-click to land at the about page. Keep ’em posts coming MM!
Thanks and keep reading π
A friend shared your post the swing on her fb walL. That 1st post & I’m hooked.
its like you are having a conversation with us.
Looking forward to reading more of your musings.
Till then may the force be wit u π
Pearl bejoy
Thank you so much. Maybe it’s time I got back to writing π
Dear madMomma,
Just stumbled upon your writings while googling for something on a totally different subject.
Your short vignette regarding the visit to the beauty parlor, and the prioritization you exhibited for your daughter’s “needs”, was reminiscent of how my mother treated me.
She always put my needs ahead of her own, for good or for bad, in the same way that you have.
I lost my mother two months ago and, in some small way, you brought her back to life for a short while.
Thank you
Victor
I’m so sorry for this delayed response, Victor. For some reason I didn’t check the comments on this section. I’m so sorry to hear that you lost your mother, and I know one never really recovers from the loss of a parent, but I hope you are healing.
We read a lot about mothers putting their children ahead of themselves, and magazines exhort us not to do that. But the truth is we do that for all those we care for, and who can you love more than your child?
hi MM,
I have been reading your blog for quite some time and really enjoyed it. My name is Ramya and I work in a software firm. I wanted to thank you for writing that blog post about Justice Seth. Am sure you must be wondering the reason. I was about to get engaged to a guy and as usual was reading your blog. I just picked up a few lines from your blog where you had wrote about Justice Seth advice on parenting – “They might never own a four wheeler or a flat in the suburbs but if theyβre happy on a cycle meant for two with a partner of their choice………”. I agreed with it completely and shared it with a few friends as well. This guy who was about to get engaged to me in a week thought that I was spreading negativity and felt so insecure when I sent him those lines. When the truth was I was just trying to let him know what good parenting is all about. Well that started a lot of arguments and I finally understood what a person he was. Thanks to the support of my family, I had to cancel my wedding.
I was down for a week and was so upset, but finally came out much stronger. I thought I owed you a thanks for that blog post. Thank you so much.
My god, I’m blown away. It takes a lot of courage to call off an engagement. More power to you. You make me want to shake off the laziness and write more regularly.
I admire your clarity of thought and I really hope you find a man who shares your values and vision. Marriage is a beautiful, beautiful thing when it is with the right person. Hugs and best of luck
Hi there, just came across yr blog and enjoy reading about your adventures π Is there a way to subscribe or get alerts when a new post is shared? Can’t find a subscribe button. Thank you!