Quality Time: Fun with Mom

The fact is, I'm just a kid, myself!

Now in the latter part of my child raising career, the two youngest of my 12 children, at ages 7 and 9 still find me a necessary part of their existence. I struggle to return to the work force, knowing that I need to carve out a different life for myself, as my kids become more self-sufficient. However, my kids are not content to manage without me. I ache to sit at the PC and knock out stories, and they ache for my company. When I give in and spend time with my kids in the great outdoors, I remember why it is that I wanted a lot of kids. The fact is, deep down, I'm just a kid, myself!

Give in with good grace 

Yesterday, I agreed to leave the keyboard and take them to the neighborhood park. My kids were old enough to go out on their own to the pocket park of our gated community, and I wanted them to get some fresh air and sunshine, but I knew that the only way to persuade them to go was if I went with them. I gave in with good grace, knowing that I too would benefit from leaving our home at the height of its winter mustiness, with spring cleaning just around the corner but not yet in sight.

My kids packed up a snack for our little trip. There's something about being in the park that always seems to build up their young appetites. They took some yogurt, plastic spoons, crackers, fruit, and napkins. When we arrived at the park, they decided to eat first and play later. They spread their little repast on a park bench and dug in with gusto. They took turns feeding me, and I pretended I was their baby. I opened my mouth and grunted for food. This cracked them up.

Laughing ourselves silly

At last, all of us fed, they clambered up the ladder that leads to the slide. I knew the drill. I went to the end of the slide and positioned myself so that their feet would push into my belly and knock me over. Of course, they didn't really kick me; I was just acting out a part, complete with sound effects. I would keel over like a dead man, each time one of them came down the slide. We all got to giggling so hard, we ended up in a pile, laughing ourselves silly.