Enabling mommy moment!!

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HeathKernandez
Our Ron is an awesome Ron

Member since 4/07

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baby fish mouth

Enabling mommy moment!!

Ok, so my kid is forgetful. VERY forgetful and while it frustrates the heck out of my husband, I take it easier on him b/c he is EXACTLY like me.

I am extreeeeeemely forgetful and always have been... Sure, I've learned to cope with it and learn strategies to become LESS absent-minded, but I'm an adult... Aidan is just a kid.

So last night, we're cuddled up in bed --Eric has been working nights so I let Aidan sleep in my bed when he does b/c 1. I get nervous when he's not in the apt...

2. Aidan still wants to sleep in mommy's bed from time to time and I KNOW that's not going to last much longer.

It's about 10pm and we finished our long talk about school, and his crush, and his philosophies about how playing Call of Duty will help him become a Marine one day...

I mention taking him to the library the next day to get him some new books to read (we make him read 45 minutes every night - wknds included)

when ALL OF A SUDDEN he gasps, sits straight up and says:

"OH NO... I forgot, I have to bring in a book to school tomorrow about a State."

Immediately I find myself feeling the fury and flashbacks of the last time this happen came into view...

Trekking all the way to the Brooklyn Central Public Library on Sunday, January 2nd b/c Aidan forgot to tell me ALL THROUGHOUT CHRISTMAS BREAK that he was supposed to bring a biography book to school upon return.

The reason for the trek was:
The Brooklyn Central Library is one of the ONLY Brooklyn Public Library that has Sunday Hours. Our local bookstore had a very limited kid's section so we were ish out of luck when it came to finding a biography within walking distance.

Turned out that the Brooklyn Central Library was CLOSED in observance of New Years and will reopen on Monday. Lucky for Aidan, I was able to contact his father who googled the nearest Barnes & Noble which was in Park Slope. Very close to where we were.

Now, for any of you who know Park Slope know that parking is a itch with a capital "B" and we were JUST hit with a major snowstorm the week before to which the DSNY forgot about Brooklyn, so to say parking spots were FEW and FAR between is an understatement.

OK- the flashback has passed.

So, last night,

Part of me wanted to teach him a lesson- He knew about this "book on a state" since Wednesday, he should face the jury and get in trouble for not bringing one in. Apparently, his teacher is very strict on deadlines & forgetting assignments (and I don't blame him.)

I should have let Aidan learn this lesson... and here is where my weakness lies.
(yes it's true- as perfect as I seem, I do however possess a few flaws Chat Icon )
I remember what that feels like... I remember the anxiety one gets on a Sunday night when you remember you had an assignment due. I remember frantically calling over to the McNeill house across the street (hoping to GOD they were home) b/c THEY had a set of Encyclopedias... I remember that panic & fear and guilt knowing... "I did it again..."

So I caved. Googled B&N...b/c forget a public library being open at this god awful hour... (actually the Central Library JUST closed at 10.)

The B&N on Court St. in Downtown BK was open to 11...

Then I look outside. It's POURING so hard the rain is coming to you vertically & horizontally like those fancy showers you see on cribs.

Again- parking in that part of BK is a female dog... so I google how long it would take by bus and PLEASE is there a bus that would go from Greenpoint to Downtown without much walking? (actually the G train did- but then a 7 block walk.) Nope- bus takes 51 minutes + a .8 mile walk.

In the car we go. It's 10:15pm... The heavens were looking down on me b/c heck the BQE was absolutely CLEAR and I guess everyone in Brooklyn was avoiding the rain b/c we found a metered spot right away (don't have to pay after 7pm - SCORE!)

Guess what- THERE ARE NO BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT STATES OTHER THAN NEW YORK IN THE KIDS SECTION OF B&N...

Too many kids in the class picked NY so the teacher limited the amount he would accept.

We both wanted to cry and hung our heads in defeat about to leave the store when I passed by the Travel section.

Chat Icon

you never know, right?

guides...guides...guides... the best places to see when in Colorado.... San Francisco walking tours... Cheap Eats in Michigan...

and there it was:

"A Kid's Guide to Washington D.C."

HEY! Washington D.C. is it's own STATE! It's a STATE!!!

Sold! And the money is coming out of the money Mommy owes Aidan... (I rarely have cash on me at home...)

So, Aidan is $14.00 down in his X-Box 360 fund, mommy feels like a superhero... and the little guy will not get in trouble at school.

I got about 1000 "I love you moms.." on the way home and I feel tad sh*tty for enabling him... I know sooner or later he's going to have to REALLY FALL.

I just couldn't do it this time. I did, however, inform him that I will be serving him with a list of demands for the following month to make up for this... and NEXT time this happens, he will be punished with NO VIDEO games b/c there will be NO CHANCE IN HECK he would forget again.

On the ride home we discussed possible strategies to better help him on his "disability"

Like perhaps writing due dates for assignments other than nightly homework on the white board in the kitchen, etc.

The heavens were good to me again b/c I was able to find a parking spot on my street that wasn't more than a block away from my apt....

good night and good luck.

Message edited 3/11/2011 12:56:42 PM.

Posted 3/11/11 12:45 PM