10 Essential Items Every Mom Should Carry in Her Purse

Every time I open up my purse and curiously peer inside, I am reminded of Tim O'Brien's story, "The Things They Carried." In O'Brien's story we are told of the physical objects that the Vietnam soldiers carried with them in their backpacks as they went off into combat - love letters, worn photographs, the New Testament, mosquito repellant, even a pebble. All of these objects revealed the soldiers' priorities, and more pointedly, their emotional state. Glancing back inside my purse I see an empty fruit snack wrapper, a stray cheerio, strawberry lip balm, a tiny plastic Care Bear, a pen without a cap, used tissues - all with a story to tell, not a particularly appetizing story, but a story just the same. The story, or rather the message, is -this - let's get ourselves organized, shall we? lest someone mistake us for a harried, sleep-deprived, time-starved mother of two. We can't let that little truth, um, I mean misconception get out. So here is my solution. Aside from the basics of wallet (hopefully brimming with cash), cell phone, and keys, here are 10 things every mom should have on her person whenever she steps out the door.

1. Lip Gloss/Lip Balm: Dry lips are uncomfortable and, well, creepy looking. People don't want to see them. Kids don't want to be kissed by them. You don't want to have them. 

2. Small pad of paper and a few crayons or a pen: This not only provides the kids with a ready form of entertainment, but you can also jot down a quick thought or to do list before those thoughts evaporate amid the soundtrack of your life - "Mama? Mama… Mama, look at me! Look Mama. Mama, are you looking? Mama? Look! Look Mama!"

3. Antibacterial Moist Towelettes (individually packaged): Sticky. Little. Fingers. Touching. Everything. Enough said.

4. Snacks: The snack options are limitless: crackers, cheerios, fruit snacks, etc. Fill a few small snack baggies or plastic containers with these tasty treats so that when the inevitable grumpy, "I'm hungry" behavior sets in you have something on hand. Oh, and pack a few for the kids too.

5. Bottled water: You and the kids need something to help wash down all those goldfish crackers.