Not your typical mom

Sunday, June 24, 2007

A few weeks ago, I was walking Emily to school.

She was listing her usual litany of complaints. Who she liked. Who she didn't. You know, the usual walking to school conversation.

I reminded her that she needed to go into the after school program, as I had to work in the afternoon.

This prompted a new wave of whining.

"But I don't LIKE to go to the after school....Nobody LIKES me..."

Now, perhaps other Moms might try to puzzle out the who and whys of this statement.

Me? What pearl of wisdom did I have?

"Why not? Did you kill a hobo?"

This shocks my daughter into nervous laughter.

"Kick a puppy? drown a baby bird?"

Her laughter now cascades out of her. Full on belly laughs.

"MAMA! I didn't kill a hobo!"

"Then I guess you can't be all that bad then."

And with that, we held hands and finished the walk to school.

9 Baleful Regards:

Girlplustwo said...

exactly. combat the foolishness with even more foolishness and we'll win every damn time.

cindylou said...

My personal fave, Do you stomp bunnies?

2amsomewhere said...

Definitely a Cliff Huxtable moment, if I ever saw one.

I also read something (see endnote 351) a few months back that I've tucked away for future reference in the event that my children don't respond well to the humorous approach. My mother was more of the "invalidate and offer glib reassurances" school of parenting.

--
2amsomewhere

Mom101 said...

Oh I love this. Although in our house it would be more like, "did you start a war? Defy the constitution? Sanction torture?"

Yeah, I could go on.

Woman with Kids said...

Great response. Although, with Boy 1, I'd be too afraid to ask. Never ask a question if you're not sure what answer is...

Anonymous said...

A sense of humor helps almost any situation. Thanks for reminding me.

Bobita said...

Not typical, perhaps. It is a good thing that perfect, wise and wonderful trump typical. Especially good for Emily.

Anonymous said...

hey, if it works, don't break it! :-)

Dinosaur Mom said...

I have approached rearing the Dinos with the assumption that any child born of me would naturally be a social misfit. Sometimes I worry that I may be inadvertantly depriving them of useful social feedback when I have one of these conversations with them. Ah, the thin line between inculcating a sense of proportion in one's children and raising them as wolves ...

 
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