Monday, April 13, 2009

I Swore I Would Never Say It

Technically, I suppose you could say that this is a "mommy blog", and that I'm a "mommy blogger". And I'm proud of that, as I am in the company of some of the most fabulous, inspiring, remarkable mommy bloggers ever. However, unlike the vast majority of mommy bloggers out there, I'm a blogger with older kids. My kids don't often do cute things to blog about; they commit the acts that make me remember the cute times fondly and wistfully. Being a mommy of older kids, while still emotional, often presents its own set of issues.

Forced bedtimes, for example.

During the week, it's not a big deal. Jock, being the extremely reasonable and increasingly mature young man that he is, hauls himself off to bed around 9 each night. He gets up early, and knows just how much sleep he will need to function the next day. The only reminders I have to give him at night are to get his butt back here and give his mother a kiss goodnight. Bug, while requiring a bit more persuasion, is still in bed about 9:30 each night. Weeknights are not the problem. The problem comes up on weekends, when these boys think that they can just go to bed whenever they want to. Now, being a fairly flexible mother, I generally actually let them stay up late on Fridays and Saturdays. So what's the problem?

Those nights when Coach and I would like to get a little.... um, friendly.

We're not that old, not really, but we are certainly past the point where waiting up until well after midnight to get cuddly is the best idea. So when the mood is upon us (and sadly, with our schedules, we're not often in the same mood at the same time; so it behooves us to take advantage when we are!), we really need to move a little quickly to seize the opportunities presented. We still want to be awake when we get there, ya know?

For all my outspokenness, my verbosity, my belief that when my kids ask questions I should answer them as openly and honestly as possible...... I just can't quite bring myself to tell them WHY they need to go to bed earlier than they want to on a Saturday night. Besides, at least in Jock's case, I have a sneaking suspicion that they know.

So, all of you parents out there who still have younger kids? Enjoy it. Take advantage of your opportunities now. Steal a few minutes at nap times, turn away from that movie you're watching when you put the baby to bed. But start planning now. It takes a lot of creativity to have a good reason ready when you're asked why they have to go to bed early. If you ever thought you were good under pressure, always able to have a ready answer? Teenage children will test that theory.

And more often than not? Prove you completely wrong, and leave you standing there, stammering....

Because I said so.

7 comments:

TisforTonya said...

Since I have children from 5 to 14 there's more knowledge in the house than we're totally comfortable with...

somehow a Sunday afternoon "nap" only fools a few of them anymore...

Burgh Baby said...

Duly noted. ;-)

Karen said...

I know whereof you speak. Trust me. We've been suffering.

Rockin Austin said...

Tee-hee-hee...great post!

Sully Sullivan said...

How old are the kids? They loook pretty old in the pictures. At least one does anyhow. How can you give them bed times on the weekends? I'm no parent so I'm not judging, just seems weird, the kid looks like he's 15 or 16.

Cece said...

I hear you! My kids are 7 & almost 11 but still have a 9-9:30 bed time. My husband gets up at an ungodly hour to go to work so we rarely have "fun time" during the week. This week he text me to join him in the room while the kids were watching tv and later my little one questioned the noises she heard. I was mortified. Looks like we'll go back to middle of the night friendliness. lol

The Sports Mama said...

Sully, the only reason we even try bedtimes on weekends is so that their father and I can have some quality time alone. :) There's just something ..... awkward?... about actually explaining to the kids why we want to sneak off.