My kids are good teachers

It all started last weekend. I was busy with some household chore, and Claire asked me to play with her. I told her I would when I was finished with the work. Then she said something I'll never forget: "mom, I think you've forgotten how to have fun!" This statement really made me reflect. Am I old and stodgy and too set in my ways to let loose and have fun? I decided I'd better work on it before I reached the point of no return. I went and played with Claire. Barbies. 

And the next day, after school, we went swimming (see previous post). I'm glad we did, because that was one of the last really warm days we had this fall, and now it is too cold.

I was feeling pretty good about myself until Friday. Joey was out of town all day and I had to take Max to soccer practice. I took Max last week, too, and he did fine (Joey was busy last Friday night, too). But last week we got there a little early, and he had time to talk with the coach and to warm up. This week, we got there right on time. No time to talk with the coach before practice. No time to warm up. Practice was just starting, and Max didn't want to play. It was chilly that day, and Max had on his favorite orange hoody. He said he was too cold to play. The other kids and the coach were running up and down the field to warm up, so I told Max to run around so he'd warm up. Nope, didn't want to. I offered to do it with him. Uh uh. This went on for ten minutes. He was cold. He didn't want to play. Keep in mind- Max LOVES soccer. He looks forward to it all week. I didn't understand what was going on. So I told him we would go home if he didn't want to play. He still didn't. We got in the car, and I made a mistake. I got mad. I yelled. I was upset that we had come all the way into town for nothing. That Max had done so well at practice last week and couldn't understand why he wouldn't play this week. That he couldn't possibly be cold with his hoody on. Max was quiet. And then, when I was done with my rant, Max said: "mom, I was just feeling shy."  Okay, I'm a horrible mother. How could I not see that? Especially since I myself was extremely shy at his age? I stopped the car. I got out and took Max out of his car seat and gave him a big hug. And I apologized. Profusely. I told him I understood being shy. We went back to practice and sat on the sideline. Max sat on my lap. We watched the other kids playing. After a few minutes, Max wanted to play, but he wanted me to come with him. So we went out on the field together for the remainder of practice. He did fine, and was sad that it was over so quickly. 

I had a surprise activity planned for after soccer practice. And I thought it would be "fun." A magician was performing at the Brooks Center on campus, and we had just enough time to get there for the 7:00 show. Well, we did get there before it started, but we had to sit up in the balcony. And do you know where the kids asked to sit? In the very top row! Not much legroom up there for adults, but the view was better for the kids than the front of the balcony. The magician, Mike Super, was really amazing! The kids and I enjoyed the show very much. As we were walking through the parking lot on the way to the car, I asked Max what he thought of the show. "He was a real magician, Mom!" was his reply. "What was your favorite magic trick?" I asked. Max didn't hesitate. "When he made it snow!"  Then I asked Claire. I was expecting her to say when he made someone float or disappear, but she said "When he made it snow! And you know mom, magic isn't real."  Thanks, Claire.



Max being silly before the show started



Looking forward to the magic show!



Mom, can you take one without my glasses on?



After the show, I had one more surprise up my sleeve. I took the kids out for ice cream. There is a little shop downtown that caters mostly to the college crowd, and they are open late.  I ordered kid size cones for the kids, but they made Max an adult size by mistake. Not to worry, he was easily able to eat the entire thing- but not before making a big chocolatey mess. Claire loved watching all the college kids and was embarrassed to be seen with her messy little brother. Good times.

Enjoying his adult size cone...



Yummy

 

The face (and shirt) that embarrassed Claire