Thursday, July 30, 2009

Bad Mother Thankful For Decent Kids

Ex. 1:
Rory packs her backpack for sports camp. She does this by herself because I know she can, because she should, and also because I am on the phone with my sister who is telling me about my other sister who is sick and in the hospital. Do it yourself, I say, and not nicely, and kinda rudely.

Rory packs sunscreen, a bathing cap, a water bottle, a towel, spare undies, and breath mints. Breath mints? Girl is wikkid prepared. If she were not 8 and headed to sports camp, I might think she was prepping for a hook-up.

She lays out her t-shirt and soccer shorts for her wake-up call. She hates mornings as much as I do.

Ex. 2:
Bridget lobbies to stay up thirty minutes later than the other two because she's 20 months older (yo) and almost ten (dude!) and I make the deal with her.  I do because she can handle it, but also because my sister calls again to explain my other sister's illness, and this makes me too tired/wired to wrestle three into bed at once. 

While I get the download on my sisters sad stomach, the extra thirty minutes passes. I wave Bridget over to me, phone still cradled between chin and ear, hug her as best I can and kiss her face. I mouth "good night" and "sorry" and she hugs me and mouths "I love you." Like a big girl, she takes her book and puts her own self to bed. 

Later, at last, I hang up the phone, relieved but feeling far away from a hospital in New Jersey. I sigh and stand up from my desk to assess the damage I have ignored for two hours.

Bridget has cleaned the three games that were laid out on the rug: plastic playing parts and cards and dice all now neatly tucked away. She has loaded the sink with milky cups and dusted cracker bits off the couch. She has fluffed the pillows. Fluffed them.

Ex. 3:
The GFYO does not wake me at 1am for a chit chat and snuggle. He does not wake me at 3am with a question about ants or volcanos. Instead, he runs to me in the morning with arms out and topless, boxers hip-slung and covered in pick-up trucks. My bedhead is so far out of control it's like art and he runs to me still, even before I've made coffee, before I've even spoken. 

He says, Mama! I missed you.

Result:
Tonight, while my sister is on the mend, the worst averted, I tell them they can walk to the ice cream store ALL BY THEMSELVES. Hoots and hollers ensue because they've been begging to do this. I am the Good Mom, the best mom, the most awesome.

'Cept I don't have enough cash. Bridget gets money from her tooth fairy fund and I write her an I.O.U. 

I owe you, I really do.

17commentsBrilliant Person Wrote...

Jen W said...

Aww!!! That's so great. You can pat yourself on the back at least a little bit. Your kids learned to clean,fluff and love from somewhere!

Susan said...

Nature and nurture at work. Nicely done, Picket.

minivan soapbox said...

Oooohhhh.....Come teach mine how to fluff pillows!! Please? I'll give them ice cream money!

TwoBusy said...

I'm just... awe-struck. Your kids are fantastic. As are you, with this writing-type stuff. (tht ws wndrfl.)

Hope your sister continues to mend.

Laura Marchant said...

How sweet! Seriously, sweet.

Aimee said...

I have nothing to say...again, except Im a few beers in and this makes me a bit weepy.

anymommy said...

Hey, if she has that big of a tooth fairy fund, you're an awesome mother ;-)

Heather said...

Ah, nice kids! They come from nice parents you know.

DKC said...

I hear the parents sometimes have something to do with how the kids turn out...

Clearly you are doing more then fine, Ms. P.

WaltzInExile said...

Whatever you're doing, it's working like a charm! I'd like an application to send my kids to Camp Picket Fence next summer, please :)

Carolyn...Online said...

I love it when the kids are wonderful and the house is cleaned (not by me!) and they get rewarded.

Samantha said...

They really are 3 of the best kids I've ever met. Seriously.

patty said...

I hope your sister is ok.

Major Bedhead said...

Could I send my three to you for lessons? They wouldn't know how to fluff a pillow if their lives depended on it, even the almost-15 y/o.

Glad to hear your sister is doing better.

Anna Lefler said...

Well done!

And I've been there on the cash issue - I was in the hole to my 9-year-old son for $100 at one point. Hello, Mother of the Year! (Ha.)

Hope you're having a great weekend...

:-D Anna

for a different kind of girl said...

Is it OK if I just tell my kids the reason the Tooth Fairy spaces off when they lose a tooth and doesn't make it here the first (or, OK, seriously, the third)(it's happened)(I KNOW!!) night is because she's been doing work over at your place?

Also, you've got awesome kids. You've done well, lady. Hope your sister is also doing well.

Susan said...

You know what this means? You can get totally wasted on margaritas and let the kids take care of themselves. I'll bet they'll even open the door for Child Protective Services. Well done, Ms. Pickett, and well done, little fence posts!