Why I Am Not A Good Mom

I know. 

You read my title and you're thinking, "Harsh".  Or maybe you are thinking, "Yeah, that's what I've always thought about you!"  In either case, I'm going to tell you why I think I fall short in the realm of motherhood.  Feel free to agree with me or not...I can take it.

Before I actually had children, I thought a lot about how things would be when I became a mother.  I thought about what rules I would have and which ones I definitely wouldn't.  I planned what kind of bedrooms my children would have, whether or not they would watch TV, and what kinds of toys they would have.

As plans like these tend to go, some of them have worked out and and some have not.  And I'm okay with that. I'm a flexible sort.

But the one thing I didn't count on is my children's ability to make me laugh at the completely wrong time.  Just when I should be putting on my stern mom face and laying down the law, I am instead reduced to a giggling mess.

For example, the other night at dinner, Jonah stopped mid-conversation, held his hands out and said, "Wait for it...wait for it...." and then he burped really loudly.  Okay, so a good mother would have admonished her son and explained something about manners and how rude it is to burp at the dinner table.

And is that what I did?  Uh, no.

No, I was actually so surprised by this, that I burst out laughing.  And not only that, but I got into a laughing fit that would not stop.  I shook with silent giggles, tears streaming down my face and every time I tried to regain my composure, it would start all over again.  It went on for several minutes before I could get control of myself again.  When I was finally done, I said, weakly, "Jonah, you know it's rude to burp at the dinner table..."  But I think the message was lost somehow.

Don't get me wrong.  There are plenty of times that I am just the firm, rule-making mother that I ought to be.  It's just that I am either entirely too eager to be amused or my children are extremely skilled at being funny.  Or maybe I just have the sense of humor of a 9-year-old boy....that's the one I'm leaning toward.

So I laugh pretty much any time This One runs naked through the house instead of getting dressed.  Or That One gets out of bed to discuss a complicated topic rather than go to sleep. Or The Other One spends 10 minutes trying to convince me that it's a good idea to let him have chocolate before bed.

I'm guessing that a good mother wouldn't laugh at the wrong times.  I'm also guessing that a good mother would consistently convey and demonstrate proper behavior.  So, my kids are probably being ruined. 

But I have to say, it does make for a fun life.  And doesn't that count for something?