Thursday 17 January 2013

Saying the wrong thing to my children (No 2,016)

There are times when I realise that I and my children exist on totally different planes.

Take this, for example.

Last Summer.  The day we got back from France.  The week before my period.  I hadn't slept for two days because I'd been sharing a bed (for which read bunk on a boat, the second night) with M.  He's adorable, but he's not the best of bedfellows.  B had had the other room in the hotel and cabin on the boat because he was doing all the driving, and because he had to work as soon as we got back.

So, anyway, we docked at 9 am. We got back here at 10.30ish.  By 11.15 B was back at his desk, leaving me with four (tired) children, and two weeks worth of unpacking, washing, post, shopping, phone messages, and everything that goes with them.  Oh, and did I mention the PMT?

All this is by way of justification for the fact that when, a few short minutes and about six loads of laundry later, I discovered that the the girls had destroyed their bedrooms as only a force ten gale or three small children can, I was perhaps not my entirely calm and rational self.

About a minute and a half of shouting later, I sank to the floor, head in hands, two parts ashamed, to three exhausted, to probably, if the truth be told, one still spitting bricks.

And L came up to me.  I don't know what she said, if anything.  I can't remember.  I just know I said, in tones of world weary, resigned exhaustion:

I can't do it any more.  Make a mess.   I don't care.

And she got up and skipped away, huge grin on her face, shouting with delight:


Mummy says we can make a mess!

Sometimes only your children can make you smile...

8 comments:

  1. They are elephants, they never ever forget!

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    1. So, so, true. This'll come back to haunt me in ten years time, won't it?

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  4. I have had that exact day. I had a mini one yesterday after dinner in fact, when the girls dumped out all of the too-small shoes I'd gathered for Goodwill and either left them piled in the hallway or had squirreled favorites back into their rooms for me to discover in a few weeks. (It's not like they can wear them anymore.)

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    1. I feel your pain!!!

      Hoping life is better now they're in bed!

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  5. In 10 years time you'll miss it...no, honestly,you will!

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  6. Glad the little one took you up on your offer - it would be sad if they passed on a good thing. ;)

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I know. I'm sorry. I hate these word recognition, are you a robot, guff things too, but having just got rid of a large number of ungrammatical and poorly spelt adverts for all sorts of things I don't want, and especially don't want on my blog, I'm hoping that this will mean that only lovely people, of the actually a person variety, will comment.

So please do. Comments are great...