Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Words That Cut to a Mother's Heart


It was a rough morning. The kids were tired. I had to wake them all up, which NEVER happens. Have I ever mentioned that Olivia HATES, I mean really really HATES mornings? She's done well this school year, until today. First, she tells me she had no shirt to wear with her jeans. She almost smiled when I pointed out the TONS of shirts in her dresser, hanging up, lying around on the floor, etc.


The real trauma came when it was time to put on shoes. It was cooler today, so everyone, including me, had on tennis shoes and socks. So Olivia decided for the first time to forgo her High School Musical shoes and go for her tennis shoes. Big surprise, they are too small. So she came into the kitchen where I was fulfilling perceived needs for at least 2 other children. When I finally got to her shoes (which was difficult as I was wading through her whining) checked and discovered that her toes were at the ends of the shoes. So, calmly, I told her, "Livi, they are too small. You cannot wear these today." And, my precious little girl, the same one who wrote "I love my mom.' for a spelling sentence yesterday, said, very clearly "You're mean!"


And you know sometimes, I am. We all are. But this time, I was just trying to save her from wearing shoes that were too small to school. I was trying to help her to not have sore feet. Sigh.

11 comments:

erin richardson said...

i heart you!

Mommakitten said...

I too am waiting for the day when one of my 3 boys says I am mean or they hate me... oh that will be the day and I am sure I will not handle it as gracefully as you.

Kate said...

Oh Tonni! We need to meet for lunch! (although you have a "band" and I am so, so jealous!!--more about that later, my friend) Anyway, Luci can say the meanest things. My boys were never really that way. Must be an estrogen thing!

HOWEVER, when your seventeen year old comes home from work with a speeding ticket for doing 57 in a 30...I'd rather deal with shoes that are too small! ARGHHHHHH!!!!!

Either situation: Parenting is SO HARD!

Love ya and hope you're feeling better!

a Tonggu Momma said...

Sigh. Actually, double sigh. Days like that are tough. I, too, am Olivia-like in the mornings. So, on behalf of all of us MorningGrumps, I'm sorry.

rednk-n-eurp said...

sometimes we wake up grumpy and sometimes he wakes up on his own. :)

Dawn said...

Ouch, but better to be mean now than to have a note sent home about how your kid needs new shoes because they cried to the teacher all day!!!

Welcome to the meanest mom on the planet club!!!

Oh and Kate, I hear you on the speeding ticket, right now we have the bill collectors calling because our 19 year old stopped paying his credit card bills! (that I didn't even know he had)

Yep, parenting is not for the faint of heart!!

lamamachina said...

Better to be an evil mom than to let her go with uncomfortable shoes the whole day.

Hopefully one day she will realize that everything you do and have ever done has been to keep her from pain and harm.

Being a mom is hard job, but someone's gotta do it!

Ada

Melissa said...

We just had this conversation the other morning which left both me and Anna in tears. I don't think she has any idea as to how it breaks my heart to hear her say she has nothing to wear. I got so frustrated that I yelled, "There are thousands of little girls in China who would love to have half of your clothes!" Ugh. I am to blame for her being ungrateful, but it's so frustrating.

Our 7 Blessings from God said...

Yuck, but sounds like you handled it very gracefully. So far, I just get the evil eye from my girls:) They are still young, though, so I'm sure it's coming!

Knopf Family said...

Tonni,
Funny, I have gotten those words lately too. When mayli gets mad at me, she says that I am mean and she wants to go back to her foster mama in China....YEP!
Good job on your weight loss. I just caught up on your blog...love it!
Annette

a Tonggu Momma said...

Do you share your e-mail? If so, can you shoot me a message to tonggumomma(at)gmail(dot)com