Saturday, January 16, 2010

do as I say, not as I do

I'm not a person (read: mom) who takes a liking to having to remind people (read: kids) to do something a billion times (read: more than once). Consider it a glitch in my brain, but I'm wired to see a failure to respond to "remember, its your night to set the table..." as flat out anarchy against authority (read: mom). If a kid says "in a minute"...they're just brushing you off. They are so obviously saying "What you have to say is not important. And anyway, you're a goon."

Um, right?

Yesterday at 2:00, the boys said they were hungry (when aren't they??)and asked for some apples and peanut butter. I told them I would get some for them in a few minutes.

(Which, buy the way, is not the same as saying "Just a minute"....is it?)

They cheerfully said ok and disappeared back to The Wonderful World of Legos.

I had every intention of getting the apples for them. Truly, it was right there. Right in the forefront of my mind.

And then I remembered I had to put that order into Amazon.
Then I had to help a customer of my mom's.
Then I remembered I had to bring a load of stuff to the backyard.
Then I had to put the dogs out.
Then the woodstove needed to be stocked up.
Then I had to make sure I had the ingredients for supper.
Now its time to open the box I got in the mail.
What a cool book I ordered...I am so excited to read this....

At 4:00, there came a boy to the kitchen table.
I'm so hungry, he said. Can we have those apples and peanut butter yet?

Two o clock to four o clock is far longer than a few minutes, I hear.
Cripes.

Don't you love when Life smacks you upside the head and pokes around inside you to point out all the ironies? Those things you get so upset about in other people... but are guilty of doing yourself? Knocks you down a few notches, tells you to stop being so serious, and by the way, you ARE a goon?

Yes, the kids got their apples.
And I learned my lesson. ;)

8 comments:

Sarah said...

Awesome. I love those little moments too.

Parenting can, if we allow it, help us grow so much. I didn't want to be a parent but now I can't imagine the kind of person I'd be without the lessons I'm learning about myself from my children. I would be an even bigger goon than I am. ;)

Frogcreek said...

:>)
I love life's little wake up calls.

Anonymous said...

Oooh...that one stung just a bit. I'll try to think about it further after I find the Campho-Phenique.

Amanda said...

Yikes. I do that all the time! Thankfully, it's not always a full two hours. ;)

Anonymous said...

i like this blog

Jessica Monte said...

That to do list can go on and on. I'm guilty of saying, "in a few minutes" myself and letting it drag out and out. I think it's good that you're seeing the humor in all of this . . .

Unknown said...

Wait a minutes...are your sons realted to mine?
I feel your pain.
Found you on MJF and love your blog. Can't wait to follow. Jamie aka. Just An All American Girl

Amy Bradstreet said...

Hey there Mamatea, I followed you from the lovely comment on my blog, many thanks! Oh, I've so been there, too. This is why it's whole-life unschooling, right?