Friday, August 28, 2009

Mom Improvement

Last night was one of our new "no technology nights." We plan to have two per week this year - and since this was the first week of school, it was the first week to try them. Both of them were truly some of the happiest nights of my life.

We always have dinner together, but last night I tried to work a little harder to ask my son questions. I realized he's grown up, as all younger kids do, somewhat in the shadow of big sister. She's quite a talker and an entertainer (I know...where did she GET it from???? - ha....) so kid brother doesn't get quite as many words in at the dinner table. All it took from me, though, were a few open ended questions about his thoughts about other kids in his school and I was treated to a wealth of information. It was so interesting. Big sis talked also, of course. After dinner, we all played charades (because, of course, there was no TV, no XBox, no Nintendo DS, no Facebook or blogging for Mom, and no work email for either parent!) and had a great time.

So here's the bittersweet part of that story... Last night after dinner and today when I picked them up from school, the kids made a point to tell me how much NICER I was being and how much more interested in them I seemed. Wow. I did tell them I was very sorry for the times when maybe I wasn't as nice - they quickly said that I've always been nice but now I'm much NICER.

The difference is that before, I let my disastisfaction about other areas of my life (i.e. - CAREER) seep into my homelife. Which is absolutely the most crazy thing in the world because, of course, my family is the best thing I have going for me. I'm glad I'm making some improvements as a Mom - but I really wish I'd been more happy and involved with them in the past.

Well....no regrets. No Day But Today. I know I'm the luckiest woman alive and I don't intend to forget that again. Thanks, kids.


No comments: