As I was talking with Becki yesterday, I asked her if she ever felt like she was just not cut out for this mothering stuff…
Of course, when I asked her, it was because my beautiful daughter was so insistent on “helping” me and gabbing away that I couldn’t hear Becki on the phone…and when I asked her (Sam, not Becki) to be quiet, she turned into her drama queen self.. jumped off the dryer and went wailing into the living room muttering something about how all she was trying to do was help….
Did anyone else notice a total emotional change in their daughters about the time they turned 7? I mean, she was a drama queen from the moment that I spit her out, but when she turned 7… she got worse and I’m telling ya… she could win an academy award with some of this stuff…
but I digress…
When I picked Matthew up from school yesterday he got in the car and before I could even say, “How was your day?” he said, “Brooke broke up with me.”
My heart sank. He really liked her…
But, because I’m his mother and now she’s hurt him I have to know all the details….. actually, it’s just because I heart drama that does not involve me in any way, shape, or form.
So I asked why and he told me because she liked Josh.
Who is this Josh? What can Josh offer her that my Matthew can’t? Is Josh digging up a stump in the front yard? Does Josh mow the lawn? Does Josh have a more extensive set of Pokemon cards?
I could tell that he was hurt. And I didn’t know what to do.
He spent some time with his Big Brother last night and we both noticed he was kinda quiet…he just came home and sat there. No fighting with his sister… no looking for something, anything, to eat… he was just quiet…
So I decide that I have to fix it. I have to make him feel better again, useful… like he’s needed… right? Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do as a mother?
So, I spot those mouse traps on top of the fridge… the real, snap ones… not the humane ones (because we haven’t gotten ANYTHING with those)… not the glue traps (because we all know what happened the last time I used those)… but the real ones…
the ones I bought forever ago and have just been too afraid to use…
I call Matthew out to the kitchen and I ask him about the traps… I ask him if I put them out will he check them for me so that I don’t have to see the dead mice… I ask him if he would be the Mouse Patrol in our house…
Together we figured out where we should put the traps, and assembled them, and laughed when the traps snapped on us, unexpectedly… (just so you know, you should put the peanut butter on the trap BEFORE you set it…)
And when we were done, there was a slight confidence that had returned… (in him, not me… mice and confidence will NEVER be in the same sentence when talking about me!)
When we woke up this morning he was first on the scene… I saw him peek back behind and confirm that we got one…I immediately shrieked (even though I never saw it…) and screamed “Get it out of here!”
He put on the rubber gloves, got a bag and that’s when I left… I left the room… I was on the other side of the house and I heard him say to his sister…
This is so cool…. look at the blood and there’s a little piece of his skin stuck in it….
Oh. My. God. Please make him stop talking about it…
But both of them were infatuated with the dead mouse.
I heard him go out the front door and when he returned he said to me, “Mom, would you like me to clean up the counter for you? There’s…”
“Please?!” I responded, cutting him off… hoping that I didn’t sound desperate, but knowing that I probably did.
He cleaned it up and had his breakfast…
I can’t be positive, but I think I saw his chest puffed out….
And when he grabbed his school bag and walked out the door, I remembered how hard it would be for him to face Brooke (assuming that 10 year old break ups are anything like 30 year old break ups…) and said, “Sweetie… don’t you worry about Brooke… there’s a girl out there for you…”
I felt motherly.
“Mom… it’s okay. There’s no room for a girlfriend. I have my hands full taking care of you.”
And I again wondered if I was cut out for this mothering stuff…
Until next time…
Heather
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I think you did an amazing job of taking his mind off of it. Also, nice move on the *pretending* to be afraid of mice!
Man! I want a child like Mattie.
We need to get him and special K together so he can rub off on him. How cute!
PS – Stephanie – unfortunately it’s not an act, she’s big time chicken when it comes to mice.
Wow! You’ve got your hands full Heather! And yes, just FYI — Callie will be 8 in June and she can pull off some award-winning acting as well.
I think you did an outstanding job with Matthew and I’m sure he’ll get over Brooke soon enough.
I just don’t even want to think about when Callie will be “dating” — whatever that means at this early age!
I think you’re doing just fine…and I love you!
Ditto here. I think it sounds like you’re doing a wonderful job. Way to go making Matthew feel needed and admired, regardless of the mistakes Brooke makes.
I suppose we’ll always have doubts, but it sounds to me like you WERE cut out for this job!
I wouldn’t of even known how to handle the breakup situation so I think you are doing a mighty fine job
Awwww, what a cutie he is. And yes, from the mother of one drama queen to the mother of another one…I feel your pain.
You are doing a beautiful job, darlin. Having a girl kind of freaks me out so I’ll take the less emotional boys any day. hehe. I’m talking like I have all sorts of experience and I have a 5 month old.
ENJOY your mama’s day tomorrow. And let you beautiful kids spoil you rotten. You deserve it!!
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