Do we live in a shoe?

Do you ever hear what you say to your kids like it is someone else talking to them? I do.

The balanced, healthy part of me thinks, "Wow! That mom isn't being very attentive or kind."

The frazzled, brain dead, I just wanna read a book or watch a movie now part of me thinks, "Leave me alone!"

Once in a while, usually late afternoon, I hit a place when I just can't process much more. My mind, nerves and emotions are fried! Caput! I'm running on bare minimum to get us through dinner and little Marie into bed.

So when all three kids incessantly, repeatedly, annoyingly, continually (get the pic?) ask me questions, want to me listen to their stories, or require more response than "Hmmmm..." Ifind it hard to be "attentive and kind".

"Would you stop talking to me?!?!?" is more like what usually comes out of my mouth.
"Go play! Shoo!"

Now is that the kind of mom I want my kids to remember? Because you and I know it is always the crummy stuff that sticks. Not the hundreds (thousands?) of hours spent cuddling, reading to them, heart to heart talks. No - that will all be taken for granted.

One of my kids will end up in therapy whining about how Mom didn't "listen".

At least my oldest is beginning to have a sense of humor about it all. Last night I stomped my foot, gesticulated wildly and proclaimed,

"I get to have time for myself!"

He smirked and said, "You're a Mom - it's your job to sacrifice your life for us."

"Yeah!" my 8 year old chimed in, "It's your job! Hee hee..."

Soooo, I

whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.