I never remember saying that I wanted to be a mommy, yet I knew that I wanted to have children. Nobody is prepared (are they?) to become a parent, and I think back to the time of holding my firstborn in my arms and what a child I was myself at 23 years old. Even though I had babysat, it is no replacement for what to do and what not to do under certain circumstances. There is no manual and every child is different and demands a different parenting style. Micaela would throw tantrums as soon as I tried to get her into the cars seat. Her screams so fierce and loud it was as if I was murdering her. And then came Connor, who was calm and patient. Micaela started walking at 6 months of age, which was a nightmare with baby proofing and trying to keep her in the crib that she endlessly climbed out of. Connor, it was on his first birthday when he took his first steps. Micaela likes her room messy, wears mismatched socks and wrinkled shirts, without apology. Connor has always liked everything perfectly arranged, color coordinated, and in militant order. Every child is different, but joyful just the same. Yes, even during teething, colic and after-curfew feuds.
I was a single mom for a long time, without any child support payments, and spent a lot of time just trying to pay for the roof over our head by working a full time job, a part time job, and going to college, but I didn’t want to miss time with the kids so I instigated “Forced Family Fun”. When they were little we would do it every other week, but as they got older it became more sparse to once a month, and/or during school breaks. It was a day to do something fun that didn’t have to cost much or anything. It could be playing a game of Yahtzee, going to the movies, attending a museum, etc. Most all of the time one of the kids would complain, because it wasn’t so cool to hang out with mom, but in the end we would laugh and have fun. It was 2012, and felt like yesterday when we had our Forced Family Fun Day that is in the picture above.
Although I really wanted to go to the zoo on that day, Michigan’s weather turned on us with snow, rain and cold temperatures, so instead we ventured to Frankenmuth, Michigan. Frankenmuth is called “The Little Bavaria” and is famous for chicken dinners and its small town charm, and we embraced all of it.
Since we didn’t go to the real zoo, we pretended with the stuffed animals. Dumb? Sure. Magical? Absolutely. And just so you know, we didn’t get kicked out of any stores.
It’s good for the heart and soul to just be silly and we don’t do it enough. Instead we focus on all the bad in life, the bills, and our worries. We often allow the adult energy to consume us.Our kids are grown and scattered around, and I miss all of the good, bad, and the whining.
Those with young kids – savor all the moments because what you complain about now will be what you will miss later on. Like most parents I wonder where the time went. I would give anything to turn back the hands of time and not worry about the senseless things I worried about then. Laundry will always be there. Dishes will too. An extra snack won’t hurt them. Or another hug at bedtime. It is just with a blink of an eye and they grow up, go to college, move out, etc. With all that I know now I would do it a bit different, but there are no second chances. Life is too short to worry about toys on the floor or messes being made. Life is too short to not take time off of work to go to a silly field trip or school programs. Life is too short period.
Believe,
Kristy Robinett
www.kristyrobinett.com
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