being a mom
Even Though They Caused My Wrinkles, My Kids Still Keep Me Young
Having young kids also gives you a chance to do over some of the things you missed out on as a child. When it comes to rides, I am afraid of everything- speed, heights, a particularly nasty looking carousel horse- you name it; I volunteered to hold your stuff while you rode it. Now, not wanting to show fear in front of my little people, I take baby steps into experiencing what is fun for so many. And sure, I may have cried a little on the balloon ride at Sesame Place- but I rode it. Second childhood, achieved.
Food is more fun when you are little because you have no idea what a calorie is and GMO might as well stand for Gross, More Onions! So forgetting that I actually have to make the food, meals can be fun when I stop monitoring bites and separating all elements of stew. With kids as an audience, I can do weird things like make hotdogs with the spaghetti stuck through it and everyone thinks it’s hilarious. Yes, balanced meals are important. But truth be told, I get more excited than my kids do about our monthly Happy Meals for movie night.
Reading with my oldest also sends me on a nostalgia trip right back to second grade. She pours over books I loved as a child- Little House, Nancy Drew, Matilda, Ramona. She talks about the characters like her own friends, which is funny because they are my old friends. If I can tear her away from her own books to read Harry Potter with me, I get sucked in all over again, despite knowing what will happen. She’s never seen the movies, so she has a million questions. She thinks Hermione ending up with a boy isn’t necessary and I nod along enthusiastically, like a peer instead of a mom for a minute.
Yes, I am older. Yes, a Mommyish commenter once said that they were in 4th grade in 1999, which sent me into a Diet Coke shame spiral. But for now, I can use those little moments provided by my kids to feel younger. I can throw snow balls; I can sing “Everything is Awesome†while walking around Target; I can make a mean Play-doh hamburger . I can grab that shopping cart and push it as fast as I can through the parking lot and laugh hysterically too. I can still feel young and fun despite the alarming amount of candles on my birthday cake. And I need to soak it in now- because someday they will be teenagers, and that’s probably going to kill me.
(Image:Â CREATISTA/shutterstock)
