They Like Me, They Really Like Me!

"Mother of the Year" is a title that I gain and lose on an hour-by-hour basis. 


 When I ask them to clean out the dishwasher and reload it, I'm told that none of their friends have to do that, and they conspire in the corner trying to figure out how to turn me in for abuse.  When I tell them they have to go to school, despite the fact that they sneezed once while getting ready, I am sending them to their death, and they are certain I don't love them at all.


These proclamations used to hurt my feelings, and even make me angry.  But then I realized that these little people are more fickle than the media, and what is bad today is good tomorrow, and vice versa.


I'm also amazed at the pettiness of the things that warrant such a display of emotion.  If I were to actually tell them I hated them and then shackle them to the shower head and make them clean the toilets, I could understand their passionate stances.  But asking them to change their shoes surely isn't reason to want to run away from home, is it?


Today I felt the other side of their rants: the good side.  


My teenaged son said I was, "A to the MA to the Zing."  


My daughters said, "Thank you, mom!  You're the best!"


Had I purchased them a home worthy of being featured on MTV Cribs?  Had I brought home a personal assistant for each child so that they wouldn't have to clean their room?  No.  I had bought some yogurt-covered snacks to include in their lunches.


The praise and accolades continued on for a while.  The children drew me pictures and made up songs about my greatness.  My husband stood by amazed.


I just laughed, and took it in stride.  I know tomorrow I'll be back on their "naughty" list for something.  But for today, it was nice to be like Sally Field's accepting her award, when she said, "You like me!  You really, really like me!"