Today, I was a perfect mom. I know, I know, normally, I'm perfect all around. but sometimes, Sometimes I might lack just a little in the compassion department. Sometimes.My little boy woke up in a Bad Mood this morning. Grouch doesn't begin to describe it. So after dealing with him and his attitude and shuffling him off to school, I settled down to surf some perfectly good internet this morning. And I was interrupted with the phone ringing.
Are you getting where this is headed? He wasn't in the office for his rudeness, at least. And it wasn't just rudeness, but he was pretty emotional too. He was crying and boohooing over the least little things.
And apparently he didn't sleep much last night. He says Christopher's snoring kept him up all night long.
Now, normally, I'm a suck it up kind of gal. Get over it. Move on. But today, today I learned a little lesson in compassion.
Rather than get on the phone with the boy at school and tell him to straighten himself up, I sucked up my pride, went to McDonalds and surprised him at lunch.
I met up with him in the cafeteria, where he was walking past the lunch trays, carrying his lunchbox with his peanut butter sandwich in it, and crying that he wanted the pizza they were serving. He actually had a red face and tears falling.
I just grabbed him and held onto him until he calmed down some, and I whispered in his ear that I snuck him in some McDonalds for lunch. (And I do mean Snuck. His teacher told me to bring him in the food it had to be rebagged in plain bags--how ridiculous.) The smile that that brought to his face was priceless (think Mastercard priceless--you know, Happy Meal--$3.00, Smile on his face--priceless).
We sat at the end of the table, the two of us (with the Squid in her stroller, keeping her quiet and happy by shoveling in french fries) and talked and ate. By the time I left he had a big ol smile again.
And I had a sappy mom moment, so grateful that I was able to do that for him. Of course, that spilled into all the other things I'm grateful for, and believe me there are many.
And then I pulled up in the driveway with my grateful heart, got out of my new van and reached in to get out Sydney. And stuck my hand right in to her explosive poop.
I'm not grateful for explosive poop.
4 comments:
Aww, Laura.. you ARE such a good mom. You totally turned his rotten day into the best! That's the kind of thing he'll remember all his life; how his hero snuck him in McDonald's!!!
Sorry about the poop.. yeah, no fun.
I love moments like those!!!!!! It seems like when I try to do things to cheer up a grumpy kid, it often backfires. However, once in a while I get to experience a watching-a-tear-jerking-movie moment. Add that to the list of reasons it IS fun to have kids.
Did I ever mention that Claire had a poopy diaper during Ethan's parent-teacher conference two years ago? It was running down both her legs, in her shoes, and left a "trail" going down the school hallway before I noticed!
Wow, Michelle - what did you feed that kid. Laura at least admitted to feeding Sydney all those french fries at Jacob's special luch.
Laura, I love you and you are a great mom. My mom never brought me lunch at school.(sniff).
I appreciate you going out of your way to give Jacob a positive moment. Too bad it didn't have a lasting effect on his afternoon.
Love you,
Steven
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