Item A: Confusing a trend with an authority figure, Babble.com’s Karen Bridson blogs about how the “bad mother” craze has cut her “a little slack” after seven years of pressure to “do everything perfectly.” She has never met a trend so thoughtful and lenient.

SCOUNDREL: Worst dad ever!

Item B: Just when she’s feeling pretty good about her new imperfection, President Obama tries to out-flaw her! In a new interview with Parade magazine, Obama says, “I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes,” adding, “If I could be anything, I’d be a good father.”

As the magazine’s cover photo reveals, he’s not kidding. Look how much those kids despise him. Malia (left) appears to be thinking: “God, Dad! You’re such an incompetent snuggler. Wipe that smug grin off your face!”—while little Sasha (left) is, like, “This horsey-ride sucks. This so-called father can’t even summon the energy to jostle his thighs now and then? How am I supposed to imagine that I’m trotting about on a Shetland pony? Also: Straighten your tie!”

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• The seven ugliest birthday cakes in America
• Melodramatic video of the week: Curse of the know-it-all mom
• Hold on—maybe Obama really is a misguided dad?