Playing Mom

For the past four days I've been playing mom to my three favorite kids - Emily, Katie, and Dylan! Dave's gotten in some practice playing dad, too, but mostly I've been on my own these last couple of days. I've known these kids for nearly five years now and I have to admit they are the easiest kids to take care of in the entire world... trust me, I've watched lots of kids since my early teenage years! Needless to say, even with the easiest kids in the world, it's still tough work spending five days with three kids when you're used to just taking care of yourself (and a husband I suppose). In the past few days I have learned some valuable lessons about parenthood:

1. Mom = chauffeur! I've certainly wracked up a few extra miles these past couple of days. Between school pick-up, driving to baseball practice, playdates, church, the grocery store (twice), the movie theater, and both barns, I feel like I should have plastered a Chauffeur sign no top of the Murano and started asking for tips. Now I know why mom's drive minivans and why they carpool for nearly everything!

2. There is a right way to serve every kind of meal. The kids reminded me of this when I made tacos on Thursday night and didn't use all the traditional taco stuff - the tongs for the cheese, the bigger plates, the right shredded lettuce. At least I served the spaghetti dinner right! WHEW!

3. You must learn to like Spongebob Squarepants if you want to survive parenthood. I have always found this show rather annoying but I dare not vocalize that to a six year old. I learned that the show really isn't all that bad afterall - it kept Dylan entertained at 6:30am so that I could squeeze in a few extra minutes of sleep.

4. Sometimes you have to be the bad guy. The kids have never warranted any discipline in the five years I've been watching them but sometimes they do push the rules. Well, come Friday night I had to make Dylan go to bed when it was already a good hour and a half after his bed time. After stomping up two flights of stairs, tears, and a few "you're mean!"'s, I learned that enforcing the rules can sometimes be very difficult.

5. Always make them go to the bathroom before bed. Even if they say they don't have to. Enough said.

6. Kids have a unique view of the world. Today, I told Dylan that Dave was at our house cleaning and doing laundry for me. Dylan informed me that I was treating him like a slave and that men should never have to do those things. I reminded him that good husbands help their wives with chores but he insisted it was still slavery.

And finally, parenthood is certainly easier when the kids come one at a time, when they aren't starting their teenage years, and when the kids are in fact your own. It's been a long couple of days but I've learned a lot and certainly had a lot of fun with the kids. I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I can celebrate a belated Valentine's day with the hubby and enjoy my 24th Birthday...kid-free!!