Sometimes, we get so caught up in life that we forget how little effort it takes to have fun. The other day I was taking our youngest son Ash back to school from an orthodontist appointment. We had stopped at a stoplight, when I thought my son was going to explode. “LOOOOK! A Viper!” For those of you who don’t know, a Viper is a car. My son’s favorite. And he’d never seen one live and in person. The Viper driver was pumping gas, and my son just about crawled out of the window.
I immediately thought about pulling into the station to give my son a closer look. But I would have had to go through the light, turned around, and moved across two lanes of traffic. And I was in a hurry.
So I didn’t stop.
I should have stopped. I denied my son an opportunity to have a little fun added to his day. I should have stopped!
Last week, after a follow up appointment, we passed the service station where my son saw the Viper, and Ash said, “Mom! That’s where I saw the Viper!” I could have cried. His memory could have been seeing the Viper up close, and knowing that his mom would go and extra ½ mile for him to do so. It was such a little thing, and I blew off my chance to add a little bit of “special” to my son’s day. It would have been fun for him -and for me, too!
So, I hereby crown myself as “Bad Mother of the Year”.
I resolve to do better – to have more fun with life, and I challenge you to do the same. Here are some ways that you – and I – can add a little more fun into your kids’ lives – and to yours.
- On a cold morning – warm up all your kids’ clothes in the dryer before they put them on.
- Give the first grader 50 cents extra to buy a treat with her lunch.
- Have your boys’ favorite band (yeah – that one!) playing in the car when you pick them up.
- Lower your voice and brag on your daughter to a neighbor – but make sure your daughter is within earshot and overhears!
- Pair his name with a positive adjective. “Hello, wonderful Sam!” “Come into the kitchen, Rebekah sweet.” “There’s my beautiful Shannon.”
- Do one of your son’s dreaded chores.
- Volunteer at your elementary girl’s school. (Warning, if you’re in high school or middle school, you might have to keep a LOW profile.)
- Rub your kindergartener’s back while listening to the events of their day.
- Let your sixth grader help you across the street – tuck your hand under their arm.
- Send a funny picture to your child’s cell phone. (If they have one. Ash, the Viper son thinks I’m the bad mother of the year because he doesn’t have one!)
- Burst into a silly song while driving down the road. Your child will think you’re nuts – and will get out of the car with a smile on her face.
- Have your son choose the menu for dinner.
- Instead of being grossed out by the mold in the leftovers, get out a magnifying glass and look at it up close.
- Break a family rule once in a while. (Like eat dinner together in front of the television, or let your children sleep in your bed when they aren’t sick.)
- Announce one of your child’s accomplishments on your Facebook status. (Read mine here – and Friend me!)
- And last, but not least, pull over when you see a Viper.
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