In relaxing one beautiful Friday with my husband and kids I took note of several things happening around me. I first noticed how peaceful my town is, how beautiful the weather is, and how wonderful my family gets along. Then I noticed how complicated others make life for you. I do realize it is ultimately up to me to parent my children, but some people don't make it any easier for me. When I think I'm taking two steps forward all it takes is one outing for me to take three steps back. Let me explain in detail my day.



It did not start out as a typical day, it actually was like a vacation day we never get. We went to storyhour at our local library, which is always a pleasure to go to, but it seems like everytime you go you have that one kid running around, talking loudly, and their parents are doing the same and not paying attention, hence the child scurrying about. Don't really care if the child is doing this, but it makes it harder as my children try to mimic the child and when I tell my children to sit and listen to the stories, they ask me "Well why does he get to do it?" What am I supposed to say to that. I really don't know. All I think about is what my teachers would tell me, "Well now if I let you do it then the whole class will do it and then that will just be a mess." So basically they can run carefree and have fun and you can't but what I really want to do is just tell the parent, "Will you please get your child to sit and listen, so mine will too." But I'm sure I would be told, "It's not my fault your child is a follower and mine is a leader." Well, at least if mine were a leader, they wouldn't be leading the chain gang.

So, we then set up a picnic at the local park and it was beautiful. Everyone was actually eating their food, no picky eaters, and no fighting for drinks or anything - can you believe it, really I have pictures to prove it. So anyway, I ask the boys to throw away their stuff and they do, but then I see some numskull littering and I think, "Please God don't let my boys see this." They ask me all the time why do they have to put their trash in the dumpster and I have to go through the long explanation of polluting the earth, yada, yada, yada. Then of course I see a city worker smoking and putting out his butts in the grass. Why?!!!!

So after our wonderful picnic we were able to play, but of course not without seeing children throwing rocks and then my children throwing rocks and then me yelling like a mad woman for my children to stop and come here. Trying to make a point of yelling loud enough so the parent whose child is throwing the rocks might get the point that they should get up off their toosh and do something. Well, it didn't work. Of course, so I just looked like crazy momma!!! for nothing.

Our wonderful time playing around had ended and we decided to grab some ice cream at a local shop. We live in such a wonderful quaint town it was nice not to have to travel too far to do all these things. As we are sitting there enjoying our Banana Splits and Sundaes my oldest son out of the blue asks, "Why can't I have coffee?" I tell him obviously because he's too young, "You're too young and you don't need that." Then he says and points, "Well why does that girl from my school have one?" Sheezz!!! I can't win.

I know you are probably thinking gosh your children ask a lot of questions, .... but maybe they wouldn't have to if people followed the rules. And maybe my children wouldn't think I'm such a mean mom who never lets them do what others do. Am I crazy for expecting that we all play & work by the same rules. Ugh! Maybe one day my children will see I did it for their own good.

Posted in: on Friday, October 19, 2007 at at 10:08 AM