Ever have one of those morings? A typical Monday morning.
Woke up late – with a headache, the house is a mess (not scary mess, but definite room for improvement), laundry is taking over (not an uncommon event in this house), and then the kids start picking on each other (expected hourly occurence in this house). Nothing like being greeted with the melodious strains of, ”His foot is touching me”, “Your elbow is on my couch cushion”, “I’m not hungry(for breakfast), but can I have pudding?”, ”Why do I have to put away my laundry now?” and so on and so forth.
Let me also mention that coffee has not been located yet?
Now, it’s summer time, so there’s already an abundance of ‘family time’ and not much in the way of ‘quality family time’. But being evil tyrant mommy non-stop leads to nothing but a spike in an already high BP and more wrinkles (I already have paper bag eyes in spades and shudder to think what I’ll look like by the time I’m forty-five). This is one of those times where picking your battles comes into play. Even if there’s been no coffee imbibed yet.
DEEP BREATH! They’re watching you after all and they can sense weakness.
Step 1. Make coffee – priorities people!
Step 2. Remove offending foot from opposing lap, seperate the boys, promise pudding for an afternoon snack – if a healthy breakfast and lunch are eaten before then, and explain that clean laundry only stays clean if it’s put away. Then smile, while raising the ‘mom eyebrow’ and explain that they are all old enough to start doing their own laundry if they’d prefer.
*Coffee is beckoning so run and pour a Large cup immediately*
Step 3. Ignore the various hostile and annoyed stares of the minions’managed’, as well as the slamming of doors – at least they’re putting away their laundry!
Step 4. Retreat to my couch corner in the hopes that coffee – and possibly a few minutes of meditation – will make the day a little less like Monday, I can’t help but ponder the possibilities of a full-time job that isn’t ‘home-based’. *SIGH*
Much, much better. Coffee is good. Laundry is vanquished (for now). Kids are quiet (for now). The morning is growing a little less-Monday by the second.
Which is good, since it’s Tuesday.