Mud Puddles and Dandelions

Part of being a Mom is forgetting the "bad" stuff. From birth on, this happens. We apparently "forget" the pain of labor because we choose to do it again. We don't hold grudges against our children when they make mistakes, we correct them and more on.

Well, this morning I FORGOT!! I forgot Caleb's punishment. I made the boy breakfast and lunch, got his clothes out, etc. I did not remember until he came out (after I had done all of this) NOT SPEAKING TO ME!! It took me a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but then I saw his spelling.

"Are you just going to get a zero on your spelling?"

No response.

Let me add here as a side note that the boys brought home progress reports last week and Caleb had a C in language arts! This is totally unacceptable and is due to LAZINESS!!

"Okay Caleb, don't answer me - although you are digging your hole deeper. You already have a C in that class, so fail it. Repeat fifth grade. But I will not be sending money for the 4H club you want to join, because has we have already discussed, you can't have a C or lower and be in 4H or Science Club."

I did not say anything else to him, but I did notice him writing his spelling words after breakfast while he was waiting on the bus.

Before he got on the bus, he also decided I was worth talking to long enough to ask me to buy his class snacks for tomorrow (he is star student this week and they get to bring snacks for their classes on Friday).

So, here is a list of things that I did/do for Caleb BEFORE 7:30 every morning. I am going to write it all out and hand him a list of EVERYTHING I do for him. And, while he is doing it all over the next four days.....MAYBE, just MAYBE he will stop the talk of me just being a housewife, and me not working, etc.

I was his:
alarm clock (got him up, in and out of the shower)
chef (breakfast and lunch)
personal stylist
his inspector (made sure he was up to dress code standards)
finder of all lost things ("Where are my shoes?" "I had this red.... and I can't
find it")
personal shopper ("I need a variety of flavors of nerds for snack tomorrow.")
secretary (all of his papers that have to be signed)
launderer (started his laundry so he had a uniform to wear tomorrow)
look-out (watch for the bus while he finished getting ready)

But, this is just CALEB's LIST! He is one of seven in this family! And most of this was all done before he got out of the shower and dug his hole a little deeper.

I am going to continue this list for him. Not only so he knows what he needs to do the next several days, but so that he can SEE what I do for HIM!

If this doesn't work.....I might need to look into military or boarding school for the child! :)

I do love my job and most days I don't mind doing so much for my family. But I do expect a little respect and appreciation for what I do.