It occurred to me about ten minutes ago while cooking dinner, that although my blog is called motherly "musings" I really haven't done a whole lot of musing lately. I'm sure it is somewhat related to the lovely little being growing within my body, but still...I need to muse a bit more.
Here we go...we are musing...As the mother of our clan I have recently been on this roller coaster of ups and downs. Ups because I have two great kids who really do love me but downs because sometime they hate me too.
Currently we are up...They are happily playing together outside (and have been for the past hour) . Contentedly they are making up games, sharing and keeping each other happy. I love it because I know that they miss each other lately because Oscar is a full time student, and I can't help but beam with happiness when they escape in to play land and love being together.
Then on the downs side...
Take for instance two days ago when the mother of the house had declared (early in the morning) that their rooms were a mess and would need to be cleaned before they were allowed a play day. To much weeping an wailing. Not to mention that BOTH of them explained to me in great detail that they do not know how to use their fingers to pick things up.
Oscar then informed me that he works much harder than I do and that i was the meanest of moms. I then explained that he coudl make dinner, so the laundry and clean up all of the other rooms int he house if he wanted to wage a worker war.
He informed me that he spent a lot of time at school in SCIENCE working on rocks!!!! It was very hard work!!!!!! (tune in the wailing and tone of injustice)
It was in this moment that I had a moment of clarity...here is my boy who indeed had had a very busy day at school with science. And was not allowed to do what he wanted to do all day long (like in the pre- 1st grade days). I suddenly realized that yes, he was indeed a hard worker and I love that, but I'm still NOT goign to be the one to pick up all of his mess.
I even gave him the opportunity for help by telling him to separate his clothes in to clean and dirty and then i would help him pick up the piles.
Finally, after a couple of hours. He hurried and finsihed things up and was done in 10 minutes.
That leaves the other 110minutes of play time totally wasted!
Poppy on the other hand still kept insisting that she did not know HOW to pick up the beads on her floor...I had already picked all of the clothes and the ONLY thing she had to pick up were her spilled beads. Alas, she took 3 hours and the help of a kinder, more gentle father who taught her how to use her fingers to pick them up.
It was a rough afternoon. Not to mention the fact that this mother had all sorts of fun things planned to do. I wanted us to do a fun trip to the library as a family, take some cookies to a friend, and have a fun FHE. All of which I tried to bait my kids with and was totally unsuccessful.
I suppose that is how it goes...I don't want to be the bad guy (truly I do not), and I certainly would have loved to help my kids with thier rooms, had they not been willing to help me. And at the end of the day I hope they have learned this lesson becasue next time...I really want to go play!
7 comments:
I hear ya! Right now believe it or not Chloe is one of the best ones when it comes to cleaning up! I sya if she can do it then everybody else should be able to too!!
Those stupid fingers! Keep forgetting how to pick things up. Good thing those kids come equipped with parents to re-train them on a daily basis. I often wonder if Heavenly Father gets tired of re-training me on a daily basis....
Keep up the good work, Mamma C!
it cracks me up that your kids are so clever- seriously, who can argue with fingers that don't work? these battles- i can't imagine doing it with two- right now, kellen gives me a run for my money on this kind of thing...and there's ONE of him!
you're an awesome mom- and a great example to me. :)
it cracks me up that your kids are so clever- seriously, who can argue with fingers that don't work? these battles- i can't imagine doing it with two- right now, kellen gives me a run for my money on this kind of thing...and there's ONE of him!
you're an awesome mom- and a great example to me. :)
This made me laugh so hard! Brighton has the EXACT same argument when it comes to cleaning up her bedroom. "Aunt JoAnna I can't pick up my bedroom, my fingers don't work anymore" as she is scribbling a picture on a piece of paper. Oh kids! They are so much fun.
WOW! The Hymas Herd has way too many of THOSE kinds of days.
I am glad I found your blog. I don't know how you do it. You are the most on top of it mom I know. I am sure your kids will hate you at times for no reason, but in the end, I am sure they are so grateful to have you. I know I am grateful to know you.
Post a Comment