Mom Tip #53

Sometimes the best policy is, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ‘em!”

Well, you are going to be the one to clean it up anyway, right? So why not have some fun while you are at it?

Play dough going wrong for you? Squish! Finger paint getting out of hand (literally)? Smear! Sugar high sending folks ricocheting? Chomp and bounce!

Last night was Halloween and as happens every year the sugar was flowing freely and folks were getting wired. What better way to battle the rush than to get a little sweeter myself! The whole time the Lion was out on procurement, I was home with Marmoset splitting miniature candy bars and popping Sweet Tarts. By the time the Orangutan and Rhino were back, I was INVINCIBLE!! I even managed to bathe children last night!

Sometimes Mom, you have to just stop trying to get the reins back on a runaway stage and just let the horses run it out. There is plenty of time to get back on the trail later – you might as well have a little fun along the way!

Mom Tip #46

Suck it up and pay the price now to save on the bill later.

I am not sure how things work at your house but at my house discipline is never easy. It is ugly. It is hard. And it happens all too frequently for my tastes. I honestly thought my folks were full of it when they said “This hurts me more that it hurts you.” Balderdash! Right? Wrong!

Round two of the dental drama that is Magoo’s mouth happened this morning. And once again the two little ones had to go with me. The Boy has been a little prone to dramatic outbursts lately so I was bracing for a rough ride. It really was not very helpful that we overslept by an hour and were rushing to get out the door to only be five minutes late to the appointment. I just knew things were going to go south and fast because this was a very long appointment. Why would they have mercy and wait until the very end to lose their minds?

There could have been a million other reasons they were angels. It could have been the endless parade of people to watch and consider. It could have been the movie on in the little side theater. It could have just been that they knew Mom was a mental case already and they took pity on me.

However, I am going to take the credit for their behavior. I am going to say that it was the fear of the discipline that made them think twice when the temptation to act up kicked in. I am going to say it was the steely eyed crazy look that I had in my back pocket ready for immediate activation if things even looked like they were going to get wild.

I am going to say that it was my sacrifice on the altar of discipline that led me to a peaceful visit to the dental office. I paid my dues and as a reward I was spared from paying more in the form of extreme embarrassment and crazy looks from other mothers in the waiting area.

So the next time you have to “bust someone down to size” remember that paying the price now will please the behavior gods and they will reward you later. Or you could just try being as delusional as I am. That works too.