Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Cooperation would be nice!

Can everyone please settle down?
One more time and I'm stopping this van.
Off with the TV; on with the pajamas.
Please put all those 1,000 toys away.
Extra cookie if you calm your sister down.
Running in the house is not an option.
Arguing with me won't get you anywhere.
Tell your father why the van is scratched.
I want to know why there is a lake in the bathroom.
Other "Moms" do not live here.
Never use your brother as a battering ram.

Can you tell that no one has been listening too well today in my house? Life with kids is an adventure. Some days, I feel more like a drill sergeant than a mom. One order after the other. Wouldn't cheerful, instant cooperation from your kids be wonderful? Those parenting books make it look way too easy :) Kids move along on their own track most of the time. Hopefully, I can ride along side on my own mom track watching that they don't fall off.

20 comments:

Heather said...

I know you're frustrated, but this made me giggle. :)
And I love that you bribe them with cookies.

The Fat Chick said...

aww, 1/2 looking fwd to that time in my kids lives & 1/2 dreading it. Deep breaths my friend. Deep breaths and prayer. :)

Marty said...

This is so clever!

Dani said...

Breath in
Breath out
Lock the doors and cabinets
Grab a good book
Threaten death if disturbed
Fill the tub
And lock yourself in the bathroom for an hour.
:) My cure-all

Dani said...

By the way, about that soccer lady- I asked my hubby what he would do (he's a little colder than we are) and he said that if nothing else works, you should just plain ignore her and give her the cold shoulder. He actually DOES this to people on his bus sometimes! People try to talk to him and he doesn't look at them or anything- he might even TURN UP THE RADIO! (He gets some real crazies on the bus trying to talk to him, though.) Good luck!

T Rex Mom said...

This is great - as always, eloquently written. I thought drill sergeant was part of the mom job description?

shabby girl said...

Ah, life with kids! Imagine if they could just happily do what they're told, get along, pick up after themselves, and play nicely together...
Oh! Scuse me! I must have been dreaming.

Mervat said...

My kids have just returned from a three-week break from school. I can tell you those words are so familiar and still ring in my ears. I just love Dani's advice...take it and enjoy!!
xo

Teri said...

I STILL have to sometimes say, Tell me exactly what I just said so that you won't say you forgot about it later. Yikes.

Kim said...

Oh I don't look forward to this part! I already have started to have alot of internal dialogue going when Deaglan is up to mischief. I love that you are so conscious of what your goal is through it all. I hope the same for myself. I don't just want to react but with my short time period as a parent, I can see that it will be a challenge to always think about what you want to say instead of reacting. Secretly though, I love hearing about how you are raising four kids!

Wendy said...

i feel like i say those same things....it is so hard sometimes to just stop and enjoy children....when the stressess of life interfere....when deadlines need met. I wish I could stop sounding like a drill sargeant..it would be nice if my children were perfect and did everything i said : ) perfect mom, perfect children..... but no one is perfect!

Michelle said...

But yet, would you trade them and their personalities for anything? Good luck finding the right parenting strategies that keep you sane, too!

The Write Girl said...

I enjoyed your poem. Great acrostic. You are very creative with a dash of humor : )

Jenners said...

This was great! : )

Banteringblonde said...

omg ... were you at my house today? There are just some days when i want to curl up and let them take over! lol

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

Ahh kids who would have them, but who would be without them. LOL. So well written .


Hugs GJ and Carol x

Unknown said...

Funny! lol

bel said...

I love how there is poetry in your prose after your "official" poem! What a wonderful image of the parallel (or are they?) kid and mom tracks.

And isn't "cheerful, instant cooperation" the ultimate dream? Maybe someday...

Quoyle said...

I've said a few of those lines to my nephews when they were still kids!

LOL. I smiled as the memory of them plays on, and I'm smiling as I write this comment.

Hugs!

Anonymous said...

that is so cute and clever! i especially love the 'e' with the extra cookie for calming the sister down. bribery...gotta love it! congrats on your award too!