Please Pass the Ketchup

There are moments I understand why some animals eat their young. I'm not saying it's right. I'm just saying I get it.

This was my quote on Facebook the other day and it summed up my feelings perfectly. Better than perfect. I was breaking out the ketchup.

Then I got sick and the kids were so wonderful. "How are you Mommy?" "Can I get you anything Mommy?" " I love you Mommy, please feel better." Aw, the love. My heart was filled.

Then I regained consciousness and found out WHY they wanted me to feel better. Apparently Daddy makes rules and they must follow them. What a concept!

Today Kelsey and I argued for 94 minutes, 2 snack breaks, 1 "turn around and do not look at that TV", and countless "bathroom" breaks (where I am 99% sure she was just running off to to escape the wrath of Mommy Glare coming from across the kitchen table). Over what? Division.

NOW...Let me be the FIRST to tell you, I hate math. I suck at it. Seriously. If it can't be done on my fingers or a calculator I don't want anything to do with it (A wonder how I got my mortgage license isn't it?).HOWEVER...Suck or not, my daughter must do her homework. It's just the way it is.

So we argue. And I yell, and she rolls her eyes, and I yell some more. I'm sure there is a better way of handling this. If you know of it, please raise your hand and wait for the Mommy Glare.

Finally I resort to my mom's famous line, "Wait until your father gets home."

Oh how I hated that line. I could spend hours wondering exactly what Mom would report and just how severely I'd be punished. 9 times out of 10 though, Mom didn't follow through. She let her heart win (or she was just so exhausted from arguing with us that by the time Dad got home she forgot what it even was we were arguing about) and she never told Dad. The threat of her telling Sarge was enough.

I'm not my mother.

Rob gets home and I tell him he is to have a talk with Kelsey and I lay it all out for him. He goes into the house and talks to her and I listen from the other room and get mad because now I think he is being hard on her (Hmm...perhaps this is why Mom didn't always tell Dad).

Obviously something worked because she finished her last 5 division problems in record time.

Tonight Colin is like a rat on crack and all over the flippin place. I kid you not, I'm afraid to turn around because I fear he is swinging from the ceiling fan. About an hour ago while he was laying on the kitchen counter. Yes~ Laying on the kitchen counter. He informed me when he turns 8 he would like his bedtime changed to be later.

Mommy (Who is still sick and fighting off exhaustion and too tired to tell him to get off the counter, or even ask why he is on it in the first place) : Why?
Colin: Because I'll be older and should be allowed to stay up past 8:30
Mommy: Well,Kelsey goes to bed the same time as you, and she's older. Should I change her bedtime too?
Colin: Only if you want. She likes going to bed early (point taken, Kels is like her mom and treasures her sleep)
Mommy(rubbing her eyes so hard I think they might pop out): Col,why don't you talk to Daddy about this?
Colin: Because he makes too many rules. You need to be in charge again.

But,can I tell ya something? I LIKE Rob being in charge. I don't know what happened in the days I was out of it, all I know is the kids were well behaved,and homework got done with no fighting.

Obviously the kids know I am on the mend b/c they are back to their ways (Though I did get an apology from Kels tonight for the back talk and eye rolling), but I think I might keep the "Daddy's in charge" attitude for awhile and see where it gets me. Otherwise, please pass the ketchup....