Wednesday, January 14, 2009

At It's Finest...

Yesterday after school, Eli, my sensitive little kindergartner smacked his brother in the face because he'd asked his big brother to stop talking to him and Noah did not comply.

I called them both downstairs to the kitchen, explained why this was wrong and sent Eli up to his bed to cool down/time out. After about 5 minutes I called up the stairs and told Eli he could come down (did I mention I'm totally cool, calm, and collected, thinking to myself...this is how good parenting looks...and may have even patted myself on the back.)

He's big into earning money right now, and I'm big into letting him know he's not going to get paid for everything he does. He comes down to inform me that while in time-out on his bed he went to the effort of making it...so I need to pay him. I let him know that while I think it's great he made his bed, I am not paying him for that (and proceed to explain all the reasons why, which I'm sure you can guess already.)

He responds with some over dramatic sobs and heads back up to bed. A few minutes later he comes back down to the table, pulls out his craft stuff, and hurriedly writes something on paper, which he proceeds to cut out.

I'm pretty sure he's making me a card...he's my boy that's always making sweet stuff for me. When he's done he quickly shoves it in my hand and runs upstairs.

This is what he handed me:


translation: worst mom ever
I read it and looked up to the top of the stairs where he was standing, he's sobbing because he already feels bad for giving it to me...because that's Eli. I put on my saddest face and let him know how much he'd hurt my feelings and back to his bed he went...sobbing.
Crack. Me. Up! I probably should have actually been a little hurt by the note, but instead I was GIDDY! He wrote that all on his own which makes me completely proud of him, even if it does say I'm the worst mom ever! ;) Plus, there have been many MANY moments that I have not handled parenting situations in the wisest manner, and if he'd given me the note when I'd deserved it, it may have crushed me. But this time...I'd actually done it right.
I let him sweat it out a few minutes before I went back upstairs to let him apologize and give my clever little guy a hug :)
This is the note I got next:

Translation: Sorry

*Side note: I knew right away I was gonna blog that note. I thought I'd put it up for safe keeping, until I went to look for it and Eli informed me he'd found it and crumpled it up and threw it away...I of course dug through the garbage to find it. *

Mommahood is fantastic. Remind me of that later...it's a snow day here A-G-A-I-N. :)

37 comments:

  1. love it! love that boy!
    I don't hate snow, but man, this below freezing stuff, I hate, H_A_T_E
    hate! I will be in my house the entire day!!!!! cozy and warm. I will go no where. NO WHERE!
    whew, I vented and now I feel better!! haha!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Boys . . . they just contain themselves. My days are full of hitting, screaming and body slamming . . . not me doing it - I know you are laughing now. I was talking about my four little boys!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love this story.
    Parenting is wonderful and absolutely terrible all at the same time......for me anyway. I'm starting a study on a book called "Don't Make Me Count To Three" tonight at church.
    I cannot wait. I've read it already bt I'm hoping that by leading it -- I will REALLY learn from it.
    Nothing like trying to improve one's parenting skills to make one (me) realize how far I have to go. =)

    ReplyDelete
  4. You did a great job! I think you taught him several lessons beyond the "don't hit your brother" rule. And you know, if they thought you were the best mom ever all the time, you wouldn't be doing your job!! Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah yes, the sad spelling. I feel oddly comfortable. Roo is begining to spell things too. It amazes me. He got upset the other night because HE chose not to eat his dinner, so no dessert. Ice cream that night. He stomped off to his room crying. I went to check on him, hear is what I heard:
    "Mommy and Daddy no like me, they not give me ice ceam...nobody likes me, I no get ice ceam." Said in this sad little voice.
    We again talked about if you choose not to eat your dinner, then you choose not to give yourself dessert. It still makes him cry, and yes he still chooses no dessert...thre kid is a trouble eater.
    Love the kid stories!

    ReplyDelete
  6. My Noah does the same thing. His feeling are always written in a little notebook, usually accompanied by some great illustrations. I have taken to writing little notes back to him if it was a particularly painful feeling for him. I think he likes getting them back.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This post made me laugh out loud! Here's to wonderfully "mean" mommies and the great job they do!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AWW! I feel for you, Girl! Some days we are the greatest mamas some days the worst ever. I've been both in ONE day, go figure! Sometimes my youngest (age 6) will mumble under her breath, "I just don't want to be in THIS family today!" And I mumble under my breath, "Good luck finding another one that will take you!" ~Jenny

    ReplyDelete
  9. this post totally put a smile on my face. i need all the smiles i can get... dog gone snow days anyways!

    ReplyDelete
  10. this would have made me cry, but glad to hear you didn't & you know your a good mom. i'm working on that!

    found a new blog that i thought you might like...http://clutchtalk.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love it Sarah!! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is oddly so sweet!! I am that kind of mom, getting my feelings hurt when I deserve it and all warm and fuzzy inside when I don't!! I think we mom's are crazy that way!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I can't wait 'til I'm getting "worst Mom ever" notes! Ahhh those will be the days! Although I'm not too sure my kids will feel that bad afterwards!

    ReplyDelete
  14. LOL! That was great.

    I know I'm a mom because I could read those notes without translation.

    Kids are amazing!!!
    -FringeGirl

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have just been reading a notebook of my father's. It is dated January 10, 1910. My sister made copies from the original for all her siblings. Save those notes, Someday they will be very interesting reading for the note writer and his descendants.
    Lois

    ReplyDelete
  16. So hilarious!! Glad you were able to rescue the note. That's a keeper.

    Be sure to stop by my blog today!

    ReplyDelete
  17. We saved some of our kids' favorite notes like this and actually put them in scrap books which we had at their high school graduation open houses. It was hilarious and poignant. Moms. We ponder these things in our hearts.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm with LInda, save the note. I have one saved from my son. I had punished him for something and he looked at me and said "I will NEVER do that to one of my children!" I said "wait a minute", got a piece of paper and pen "now write that down and sign it". He actually did!!!! I can't wait to pull that one out one day in the future!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. That is so hilarious! I remember being small and writing a diary entry that was saying how mad I was at my mom for something and leaving it for her to find...and she, being brilliant, knew that but did NOT take the bait. I was so aggrivated, lol! She thought it was hilarious.

    ReplyDelete
  20. So glad you dug through the trash to save that note....it will be so worth it someday!!
    It will bring lots of laughter in the years to come!

    ReplyDelete
  21. so sweet! the "soe" is my favorite!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love that! My seven year old daughter writes me notes and then when she doesn't get a rise out of me she gets even more mad all the while I have to laugh. They are just so cute at that age.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love this. And the fact that he was sad about giving you the first note. At least you know he's not afraid to share his feelings with you. Good job at not freaking out, Momma.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Classic....a day you will enjoy talking about when he is older & wants you to brag about him to his girlfriend!

    ReplyDelete
  25. That is just too funny! Soe, I guess I shouldn't laugh at the wrs mom efr. hahahaha

    He is just too cute!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Preh-shus.
    That is so stinkin cute.

    ReplyDelete
  27. You are good! Cherish these times - no really! When they hit about 12 they will no longer need you AND they will know EVERYTHING.

    Or maybe that is just girls :}

    ReplyDelete
  28. aw that is the best. what a little sweetie!!
    (by the way... my kids would have wrote it on the wall while in time out in their room..)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Good writing for a kindergartner! I left you an award over at my blog: http://heathershodgepodge.blogspot.com/2009/01/award.html

    ReplyDelete
  30. That is so sweet and funny! The fact that he felt contrite right away is also heartwarming. These are the things you'll remember the rest of your life!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh, that made me well up...little tears...cuz I just knew what was coming. I say you frame those ... they are keepers for sure. I think they would be a great reminder about forgiveness ~ how healing it can be ~ even when we have done something mean/bad/wrong/hurtful. ...etc. I get, "I'm so sorry mom," notes a lot from my oldest. I need to cherish them...cuz I won't be getting them from my middle child. Oh she'll apologize, when she's good and ready, but she's not going to put in writing.

    ReplyDelete
  32. that was awesome. I think sometimes we really don't know we are doing our jobs till we find out we are the "worst mom ever" I personally feel that is an indicator of being a good momma who has a little discipline in her!! now, will it sting more when they are in their teens??
    ps glad to know your kids whale on each other too, mine had a knock down drag out yesterday over the Wii......ahhhh

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh goodness! That one had me cracking up, too! What a little sweetheart. Doing a find job there, mom. :D

    ReplyDelete
  34. Oh my word, this story made me want to laugh and cry SIMULTANEOUSLY. What a sweet little guy; you're doing a great job, mama.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting, you make blogging fun. :) If your comment doesn't appear right away, it's because it's awaiting moderation, but it will show up soon!

Web Hosting Pages