While you would think that doing something special with our kids would come naturally, for some reason, this isn’t always the case.  We all have these great intentions.  I had visions of frolicking around happily in the fields with my boys eating ice cream and giggling until our stomachs hurt.  Then we’d sit, talk, play board games and look at our watches and wonder where the day went.  OK, well sometimes I can be a little delusional.  I live in Los Angeles, where there are no fields.  You can drive to fields but you may also encounter rattle snakes and various outdoor creatures.  I don’t necessarily like creatures.  In addition, I don’t walk well in wedges in the fields.  I’ve never tried it, but I’m quite sure that I won’t like it.  So, anyway, this is how I end up way off track.  I think one commitment per week to be Super Mommy is ambitious for me.  Something out of the norm.  Something that my boys will remember.  I’ve told myself that it doesn’t have to be elaborate, just an activity that keeps us talking, promotes bonding, makes them feel special and is all about them.  Time is racing by and I want to hold on to every moment.  I’m a little obsessive about their childhood and what I’m providing.  I realize every day that I have one shot at providing them a good childhood and I want to be responsible with my part in it.  And just in case they may forget what a fabulous mom I am, I’m going to document it with pictures!  I’m just building my case so that when they’re in therapy later, I have pictures to prove their memories wrong!  So, here we go:

Sunday’s Super Mommy Tip:  Do something unexpected and out of the ordinary that makes them giggle!

Here’s the thing, I really don’t like water.  I don’t like the way it gets in my nose.  I don’t like the way it makes my skin feel.  I’m working really hard to avoid the whole “pruning” effect on my skin.  Why would I soak in water and allow that to happen?  I don’t like the feeling of not being able to touch the bottom.  Why should I float?  It takes work!  I don’t want to open my eyes under water.  I wear contacts!  I think everyone should see water for it’s real purpose, to cool you off when you’re hot.  You simply need to walk in and walk out.  Now, I don’t hate water, but I’m not one who loves to be in the pool.  I’m much better on the chair next to the pool with a diet coke, a book and a phone. 

My boys learned to swim by the time they were 3.  They had to.  We live in Southern California, where everyone has a pool in their backyard.  While this sounds like a luxury, it’s also the biggest danger and fear in every mother.  In a split second, a toddler could walk outside and….you know the rest.  So, once they were water safe, I mentioned to them that mommies don’t get wet.  My boys bought into this hook, line and sinker.  After all, all my friends are the same way.  As long as my kids have known, mommies are outside to watch you and get you snacks, towels, drinks, pool toys, the ball that missed the net and went into the yard….stuff like that.  The real water playmates are their friends.  With all that being said, my boys still love the pool.  They’ve accepted the fact that mommies don’t get wet - until one day one super mommy jumped into the pool with her clothes on…just to be silly!  What is she thinking?  All the other mommies gasped in horror.  She’s broken the Mommy Code!  From this day forward, all the kids were talking about how funny it was when Miss E jumped into the pool.  Are you kidding me?  Everyone knows that I’m the funny mom.  I’m the one that does fun things!  Wait a second - she jumps into the pool one time and she’s the new reigning Queen of Fun.  This is an outrage!  So what did I do?  I jumped into the pool.  I gave myself a few days to gear up for it.  And I’m not going in with my clothes on, but I did it!  I jumped in, holding the hand of my 8-year-old.  Guess what?  It wasn’t that bad.  I still don’t have a love of water, but I really did love the way it made my boys laugh.  This little 15 second stunt carried all the way over until dinner, when they told their dad what I had done.  Even my husband was surprised.  So, there you have it - my Super Mommy Tip of the week!  In the end, I’m so happy I made them laugh, but I’m still going to let my husband win at World’s Best, Most Fun Pool Parent.  He’s worked hard at that title and I wouldn’t want to take it from him.  :) 

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 12th, 2009 at 7:24 am and is filed under Super Mommy Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.