Friday, March 19, 2010

not so close encounters of the 2nd kind

I think I'm a 'second kind' of parent. When you think mom - you see a woman doling out kisses for skinned knees, making cupcakes for class parties...basically June Cleaver. Even in today's world, I think that is closer to what outsiders hope is happening in every family. Ahhh...but honestly...that is only happening in a tiny fraction of households. It just so happens that I feel like I live in the epicenter of June Cleaver land. And really, I seem more like Sharon Osbourne.

My parenting role is best fulfilled when I'm organizing things or putting plans into action. My kids are always on time - dressed correctly for whatever activity it might be. I've planned things down to playing games on a night where we are all home...and I like to do that. Heck, we have a set 'cuddle time' - which has basically become simply a time when each child has to sit with us for 15 minutes with no siblings. There are nights I realize it's the first time I've really seen them for more than 15 seconds.

Last night was a toughie (I say that a lot don't I?). The boys this time. They got into a physical altercation and it devolved to name calling and general disgust. I doled out consequences - sent the accused off to bed early and went straight back to putting library books on hold, looking up hotels for a trip this summer and going through missing assignments at school for DS1. My morning was pretty robotic. I don't want to discuss last night anymore - it was discussed. So, I didn't have a lot to say to DS2...thankfully I don't have to see DS1 in the mornings.

As I rattled off the itenarary of the day during breakfast I thought "would most mom's be different right now?"...would most moms have shoved off what happened last night as "boys will be boys"? Does parenting a 'different' child make us all this way? Do we just go into 'what has to be done' mode and realize that a skinned knee heals?

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