so yesterday in the car we're talking about how we had to go back to school/routines today, and my lovely almost-13 year old says, "you're so lucky, mom, you just get to hang out and stay in your pajamas!" i'm sure she saw the shock register on my face, because her next comment was, "well, but really, what do you DO all day anyway?"
i thought back to when i was her age and wondered the same thing about my own mom. and it only took me 25 years or so to finally know the answer...
EVERYTHING!
you wake up to warm breakfasts and food in the kitchen,and when you're done eating, i clean up. you go to your closet and have your pick from the many outfits i wash for you every day...and yes, although you do make your bed, your fresh sheets would not be so fresh with out me, and btw, I am the one who wipes your toothpaste out of the sink and puts your straigtener away after it cools off! when you come home after school, the house is immaculate, and i know you notice, because on those rare occasions it isn't, you get all out of sorts. somehow dinner magically appears from the magically stocked cupboards and refrigerator, and i know you notice this, too, because on those rare occasions they aren't stocked, i get an earful from you! i know you love the decorating i do...every season...you love coming home from school and seeing something signaling the beginning of fall, or halloween, or christmas, or easter...and i'm positive that although you sense i am involved at your school, you really have no idea that it takes a legion of mommies to make all the things happen there that you love so much...
someday you'll appreciate all that i did during the day so your evenings and weekends could be spent doing all the FUN stuff you get to do!
maybe i'll get lucky and it won't take you 25 years...
oh, and honey? just to let you know? i wouldn't have it any other way!
Wow Colette, we are such different moms. I don't have a 9 to 5, both my performing and interpreting careers are freelance, so my schedule varies, but I actually do spend an inordinate amount of time in my pajamas --although I prefer the term "lounge wear"-- while I do two or more of the following activities (my ADD requires I multi-task):
ReplyDelete.laundry
.practicing/learning music and/or lines
.mail/bills/money stuff
.picking up my own messes
.interpreting over the phone (I do get paid for that one!)
.office work for my singing/acting job or my interpreting/translating job
.email/facebook/general internetting
.making new messes
.exercising
.meditating
.reorganizing my messes
.gardening (weather permitting)
.vegetable processing
.taking care of the house plants
.baking
.reading books on how to become more organized
So, when my girls get home they get to either help with or be completely in charge of:
.feeding/watering the pets
.taking care of the chickens, pigs (none right now), horse and goat
.taking out the recycling and trash
.taking the scraps to the chickens/pigs
.doing the dishes
.cleaning the house (I am proud to say my 8 year old can clean a toilet better than I did at 18!)
and lately (they are very happy about this one)...
.cooking dinner!
I tried to be Donna Reed for a while but very quickly realized I was depressed and drinking way too much. My hat is off to you for making that role work so well, obviously you make it look easy or your daughter would not have made that comment.
loved the line about drinking way too much...lol! my girls also help out a lot...they have to set/clear the table, help with dinner, load/unload the dishwasher, put away their clothes (tho i won't let them do laundry...yet!) among many other things...but...i still feel like i'm always doing something behind the scenes. my mom was always the ocd cleaner (which i am so NOT), and i felt like she wasn't available much to just be a mommy and hang out, so...i try to get as much done during the day so when i pick them up from school, it's all about them...between homework and activities and chores, there's not many hours left for just being together. i'm a big multi-tasker, too! it's amazing what we can get done in a day! however, i got much more done when they were all home (amazingly)...home renovations, painting, crafting, blah, blah, blah. don't know how i did it. maybe i'm just getting old! now it's just trying to maintain as best i can...
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