FAKING IT!
With Easter right around the corner, I’m feeling that familiar dread creeping in.After my last post, you know how long I’ve been a’parentin' (it's been a long, looong time). And I have some complaints, some things I’m just plain-ole tired of doing. Except that I’m not done yet. See, my youngest is only eight. Which means…I’ve still got work to do. Lots of it. Which means FAKING IT, because the 8-year-old deserves the excited mommy that the 22-year-old got on her first day.
Here is a list of things that I am SO OVER:
1) Easter Eggs: It’s not that it wasn’t fun the first 5 or 6 times, but come on! I’m at, like, 18+ and counting. And there’s no end in sight…she’s only eight, for God’s sake!!!
2) Picking out the Christmas Tree: Okay, so here’s my gripe with this. We live in a rainy climate, not snowy and picturesque. We dress the kids appropriately, pile into the car where they commence to bickering, stop at a tree farm where they argue over trees, attach the tree to the roof of our vehicle, and then drive home where my husband and I bitch at each other as we’re putting it up. And then it’s a daily mess of pine needles until it becomes a shriveled fire hazard. (Note: A couple of years ago I caved and bought the fake tree, trading the fantastic real-tree smell and vacuuming every day for an annual trip to the garage and pre-hung lights. This has been a vast improvement.)
3) Decorating said tree: This year my husband and I fixed ourselves Baileys & coffee and sat back and watched the kids do all of the decorating, clumps of ornaments and all. Funny thing, the tree was beautiful. Or the drinks were strong. Either way, it was win-win.
4) Weekly homework packets: Like I don’t have better things to do after school than to stand over my kids and make them cry. (Oh yeah, did I mention I’m not very patient with homework. My kids don’t like my “help”.)
5) Carving pumpkins: Again, rainy weather = mud at the pumpkin patch. AND if I have to watch another child fall apart because they’ve accidentally carved off their pumpkin’s tooth, I swear I am personally going to hunt down The Great Pumpkin!
6) And, finally, School music performances: Two hours? Really? Sorry, I only really just want to see my kid…not yours, and not everyone else’s.
I’m C-E-R-T-A-I-N that I’ve missed a few (or twenty!) of my own personal peeves, but I’m throwing it back to you. What are some of the things that you don’t love doing over and over (and over) again???
Comments
And wow - that's quite an age gap you have there!
And, Christy, I'm not the field trip or art docent or PTA mom, either. If I volunteer in the classroom, I'd rather make copies or stuff folders (a little less hands-on). Wow, how unfriendly does that make me sound? That's why I could *never* be a teacher! ;)
My son's strings concert, though, lasted seven minutes. Grandparents drove in. We all dressed up. We arrived 30 minutes early for the tuning, etc. For seven minutes.
I would have complained, but I was secretly just a bit happy.
I also sat back as the kids decorated the tree this year. That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh I like it!
Wait, don't answer that...
Seven minutes, Heidi...OMG, I'm so jealous! Although, this year my daughter was sick on the day of her concert. I felt so bad for her (or did I???).
Lisa, I used to worry so much about the tree being "perfect"...I would even re-decorate it after letting them clump the ornaments all together. Now I'm just happy if they make it out of the box and onto the branches. My standards have really lowered! ;)
And, LiLa, I don't even know what to say to you! Except, can my kids come to your mom's house??? *sigh*
And omg, I'm glad I don't have kids sometimes...and being auntie 3000 miles away ensures I'm never invited to those school perfs. LOL!
Leigh -- "Auntie" sounds awfully fun right about now!!!