Super
So I'll be honest. Most mornings I put a long sweater over my pajamas to take the kids to school. I believe in milk and cookies. I love movie night. I sometimes make entire meals in the microwave. On many nights I go to bed very soon after the kids - OK, at the same time as the kids. We don't read books every night. The kids bathe infrequently. In other words, I would never consider myself a super mom. To me, getting through the day without blood or vomit is a job well done.
There are the rare occasions when things come together, time is on my side and I think 'that' was good. I am proud in that moment. It may be when one of the kids displays impeccable manners or demonstrates kindness. It may be a good report card. It may be when I realize Jake knows all the words to Hey Jude.
But the times I most often feel like a good mom are when my kids are proud of me. When I rushed in to save the day. When I made the cupcakes everybody talked about for the Election Day bake sale. When I wore the Cat in the Hat hat to read at school.
Every Thursday Sam has band at school. This year he's playing the clarinet, and it has been nearly impossible for him to remember his clarinet on band day. We keep it next to the door and he will literally trip over it, set it upright and still walk out the door without it. Last year if the kids forgot their instruments, the band teacher made them write essays about famous composers. (Did you know that Beethoven also played the violin?) I don't want to find out what happens this year. So this morning, at 9:40 when I realized he forgot his clarinet, I dressed (pajamas, remember?) and drove up to his school. As I walked into the parking lot the bell rang and there came Sam and his class, on their way to band. I stealthily passed the instrument to a girl in Sam's class who pitched a lateral to Sam. Imagine a football replay. A slow motion scene in a drug smuggling movie. He gave me a thumbs up and a wave, and I left. Proud.
And it got me to thinking. This is why parents brag. At least why I brag. Imagine you're a C student and you bring home that one A. You want everyone to know about that A. I'm not bragging because of what my kid did, I'm bragging because for once I felt like I did something right. Those of you who have to endure the bragging, just remember - this is 1% of what the kid does. We are telling you this because the other 99% of the time we are in our pajamas and bare feet in the car pool lane.
There are the rare occasions when things come together, time is on my side and I think 'that' was good. I am proud in that moment. It may be when one of the kids displays impeccable manners or demonstrates kindness. It may be a good report card. It may be when I realize Jake knows all the words to Hey Jude.
But the times I most often feel like a good mom are when my kids are proud of me. When I rushed in to save the day. When I made the cupcakes everybody talked about for the Election Day bake sale. When I wore the Cat in the Hat hat to read at school.
Every Thursday Sam has band at school. This year he's playing the clarinet, and it has been nearly impossible for him to remember his clarinet on band day. We keep it next to the door and he will literally trip over it, set it upright and still walk out the door without it. Last year if the kids forgot their instruments, the band teacher made them write essays about famous composers. (Did you know that Beethoven also played the violin?) I don't want to find out what happens this year. So this morning, at 9:40 when I realized he forgot his clarinet, I dressed (pajamas, remember?) and drove up to his school. As I walked into the parking lot the bell rang and there came Sam and his class, on their way to band. I stealthily passed the instrument to a girl in Sam's class who pitched a lateral to Sam. Imagine a football replay. A slow motion scene in a drug smuggling movie. He gave me a thumbs up and a wave, and I left. Proud.
And it got me to thinking. This is why parents brag. At least why I brag. Imagine you're a C student and you bring home that one A. You want everyone to know about that A. I'm not bragging because of what my kid did, I'm bragging because for once I felt like I did something right. Those of you who have to endure the bragging, just remember - this is 1% of what the kid does. We are telling you this because the other 99% of the time we are in our pajamas and bare feet in the car pool lane.
posted by Romine Family at 7:26 PM
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