Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Proof

Finally. I finally have the proof I was seeking to show the world that I can be a nice mommy.

If you ask the teens, you’d probably get a mixed response depending on the day. Did I make them clean up? Did I say to turn off the TV? Heaven forbid, I said to come home on time. None of those would indicate to a teen that I was a nice mom.

Little ones are easier to please. Usually.

Some of you have little arts and crafts tables set up where your children can come create something wonderful to hang on the fridge. If I did that, I’d have crayon on the wall, hair cuts, stuff glued that is better left unglued, etc.

Oh wait. I do have that.

Which is why I rarely let the girls do anything after school. Golly, you’ve been in school all day painting, coloring, cutting, using playdough, and making a mess. Why do you need to do it at home too? After all, mommy spent all day doing the same thing.

So their stuff is put up. They have to ask to use it.



If mom is in a nice mood, they might get crayons and paper. Or, if I’m feeling particularly jolly, they may get playdough. When I’m feeling downright hysterical, they might get to paint. But that never happens. (I still have the paint but it’s hidden….shh…)

Today was a better day at school, we got home early, chicken is thawing to be put on the grill, so I’m in a decent mood.

That means……







Yes, I let them use scissors and glue today. You’d think the world had stopped spinning.

As they busily got to work on their creations, Anna Grace said,

“You are a nice mommy.”

Awww. How sweet.

Will she still say that when I dispose of her trash treasures?

13 comments:

Denise Grover Swank said...

I'm amazed at how we are on the same wave length! My post tonight was going to be "Proof that I can be a good mommy" or something like that and have pictures of Emma and Ryan at the park this morning and playing with-- wait for it----- Playdoh this afternoon. (I HATE Playdoh clean up)

I knew you had it in you, and I throw my children's creations away after they go to be.

Margaret M said...

I love the creative flow. The girls look so happy and I bet you have a smile tonight too!!! I am living for the weekend!!!

Laura L. said...

Love that crazy creation that A.G. made.
I eventually dispose of most of Jadyn's creations too. I have to first put them out of sight. Then hopefully she'll forget about them.
Recently she has found a couple of things in the garbage. "Hey! I wanted to keep this!" I literally have to hide things in the garbage can, under the garbage.

Julie said...

Jane and Mae did the same on Tuesday night and Wednesday am we found a 4" lock of red hair on the kitchen floor. I never noticed that she had cut her hair - even through bath and hairwashing!

Laurel said...

I must be a very mean mama. Our children have been home from Ghana for almost a year, and I don't think they know yet that we own paint. And ... I had kept Playdoh a secret until Christmas, when big sister bought some. (Bad sister!)

One Playdoh episode later, with Playdoh all over the floor, and on the bottoms of shoes ... "No more playdoh until you're 18."

Laurel
mama of 13

Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane said...

I'm with you on the arts & crafts...ours are all under lock and key.

Don't you love spontaneous affection and validation from little ones!

ralph said...

oh, how lovely that i am not the only one! i like to blame my OCD, though. can't get messy! sorry, insane and heavily medicated!

:)

Ashley and Mike said...

I usually have to wait until the big and little mr are in the bed to properly "put away" the creations. Mike wants to save EVERYTHING! Ugggh. Hope you had fun on your snow day.

Donna said...

Oh, Kristin, you KNOW the first rule of mommyhood?!?! You never TELL them you threw it away! The joy is in the creation, not the keeping of the creation ;) Glad you were (are!) a nice mommy!

Gwen Oatsvall said...

ok, we would make great neighbors because I don't like glue, scissors, projects, or crafts and I despise PAINT !!!! when the girls whine to do a PROJECT i sometimes bribe them w/ chocolate just so i don't have to get out the MESS for a project ... lol ...

Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane said...

Stop by my blog when you've got a sec...I've got a little somethin' for you...

Doug and Terrye said...

I'm right there with you sister! That darn arts & craft box is the bane of my existence, but it's so much fun for my little one that I can't do away with it. So I pull it out occasionally...right now I have 32 pictures taped on my wall...and they are disappearing 1 pic. at a time ;)

Terrye in FL

The Johnson 5 said...

My daughter would spontaneously combust if she did do some kind of "project" every day.

Honestly, I don't know where she gets this from.

I was not a sit still and color girl. I was outside setting fires and eating dirt :)