Monday, February 11, 2008

Angry mother???

How is this for dedication ... I am in a hotel room, Charlie has a race tomorrow at Attitash, so we are here for the night. And I am blogging!! Love free hotel Internet.

So today I was working on my book, working, working, working when I came to the end of a chapter and didn't seem to know where to go. This kind of complete and total halt was a little surprising, as I've been inunudated with more words than I know what to do with, so really, the opposite problem.

I was sitting there, a little dumbfounded, when the phone rang. It was Charlie. He had forgotten his Vocabulary book, and needed it or else he would lose points. Now what would you do? I mean, as the mother who asks before he goes out the door, "do you have everything?" "Your lunch?" "Homework."

Yes mom.

Well, I know what I normally do, but this was not a normal moment. I was at a roadblock and the phone call seemed to answer some inate need to do something then and there. I stood up, found the book on the kitchen counter and said, "I am getting in the car now, this very moment, be in the lobby in 10 minutes."

He was in shock. "Now?" He said. (I am sure he was hoping maybe just maybe he could get the book by the end of the day. Not at 9:00.)

I'm hanging up and climbing in the car, I'll be right there.

It wasn't until I was actually climbing in the car that I thought, "This is odd. Why am I doing this?"

I drove uptown and listened to my audiobook -- which happens to be Diana Gabaldon's Dragonfly in Amber. That was nice, I drove into the school and waited for him to come out. When he did, he was very tentative. He opened the car door and waited. I said "Okay, there's your book," and pointed to it on the seat.

"You're not mad?" he questioned.

"No. Have a good day."

"Ummm, okay, you're sure you're not mad?"

"Nope."

"Can I give you a kiss?"

"Sure."

So he climbed in and gave me a kiss, again, somewhat tentatively, like what, my head was going to pop off or something once he was close enough? Geesh.

I drove home listening to my book, sat down at the computer and unleashed another torrent of words that kept me going for another few hours.

So, I needed to do something else, anything else, in order to continue. What is so funny is that I had no idea I was such a mean, angry mother!!!

When I picked Charlie up from school, he again asked me if I was mad. I said NO I AM NOT MAD. He said, "Well normally you would be. You always yell at me when I forget things."

Which is true. The kid drives me batty and he forgets things even when you are basically begging him not to. What was also interesting was how he was in such a good mood.

So I guess I have to try to be a nicer mother. And I will, as long as it is convenient for me!!!

2 comments:

JEANELLE said...

Oh my gosh Lisa that story felt so familiar. My kids sadly often wonder if I am going to be the nice mom or the mean mom. I hate that they live that way. So like you I will be try to be a better mom when it's convenient. ;)
JEANELLE

Lisa said...

LOL Jeanelle.

Someone said to me that if I become a nice mom all the time, then I won't be appreciated at all!

Well, the one thing we mom's know best is that you can't win!