Yesterday was April Fools Day. From the moment the Kid awoke, he had many pranks played on him. Green milk in his Rice Krispies. All the underwear in his drawer pinned together. The arms of his coat stuffed with paper. Hot Wheels in his boots. I even gave him a raw egg as he helped me peel “boiled” eggs for the egg salad sandwiches for our lunch - it burst in his hands.
He loved it! With each prank he howled and asked “Can you play another joke on me?” He kept looking around the house for the “jokes.” He wanted more and more.
Fast forward to late afternoon. I’m trying to get in as many more minutes of work as I can before the end of the official working week and having to make dinner. (YMC is not going to manage itself you know!) I’m begging him to entertain himself for just a few more minutes. The Playdoh just isn’t holding his attention anymore…
“Mum, Mum. Please help me clean up the Playdoh. Mum, Mum. Please come play Hot Wheels Math Game with me. Mum, Mum. Please think of another joke to play on me. I really want you to play another April Fools joke on me. Think of something up your sleeves.”
His badgering is relentless and I’ve had a long day. So I say: “I’m trying to get some work done. You want me to clean up the Playdoh. You want me to play Hot Wheels Math Game AND think of some new jokes?!? How am I supposed to do all of that at the same time? Who do you think I am? Superman?”
He looks up at me and says… “No. You’re my Mum.”
His response reminded me that in his eyes I can do all of this at the same time without breaking a sweat. Simultaneously, I’m painfully aware that I can’t always do everything that he (and everyone else) wants from me at all times. No matter how may To Do lists I have or how organized I am.
This week I suggest you cut yourself some slack and don’t sweat it if you don’t get it all done. I’m going to try to take this advice myself.
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