I Can't Be the Only One...

Today, as we enter the second week of Christmas break from school, I'm going to share one of  my biggest parenting flaws. Judge if you want, but we all know you have one or two yourself.

I'm one of the best there is at dealing with my children's meltdowns. I care for kids who puke for 24 straight hours, without ever hitting the toilet or garbage can in front of them, with compassion, ice chips and cuddles. I'll read 5 books aloud in one sitting, make costume pieces for school music programs and spend far too many hours on eBay to locate "the HAVE to have" item on one of my kiddos' Christmas or birthday lists that was last manufactured in 1996. So far, so good, right? Just please, dear God in Heaven, please don't ask me to play with you.

That's right, I am the mom who cringes when I hear "Will you play a game with me?" I enjoy UNO and Monopoly just slightly less than grocery shopping in the rain. I would rather scrub the toilets and surrounding floor (remember I have 4 boys under 15 years old) on my hands and knees than play with Fisher Price Little People, Thomas the Tank Engine and Barbies. And video games? Really not my thing - ask my son C, he'll tell you that not only do I not like them, but if conned into playing one I'm asked to quit pretty quickly because I "take stink at it to a whole new level".

I have moments of guilt when I think about how often I beg, plead and wiggle my way out of playing with one or another of the Crew. Sometimes I even force myself to say yes to a child's request, usually when I'm more desperate for a few minutes without whining than I am to avoid the toy or game of the day. During those times, I'm usually looking for a quick escape or way to get another sibling to play and get me off the hook.

My brood won't have a wealth of memories that include me rolling dice, dealing cards or using a character voice while pushing trains on a track or changing Barbie's clothes for the 24th time in an hour. I'm hoping the ones of me scrubbing carpets at 2 a.m. when they were sick, knowing when to give some deep pressure squeezes and reading the same book 12 times in one day will help them forget me hiding in the laundry room every time the game cabinet was opened.