Back to School

Here it is. The first day of school again for my kids. Son is in 5th grade and daughter is in 2nd. Hard to believe. I've been thinking of years past and remembered what happened on the last day of 2nd grade for my son. As a mother we all wonder if we're doing a good job with the kids. Do we overreact? Do we underreact? Many times, I've won the 'Mother of the Year' award when I do something stupid. This was one of those times.

A week before school was out, son hurt his leg playing at aftercare. He came home and complained about the pain. I believed him, and told him he couldn’t go to Karate that night. He stayed on the couch for the rest of the evening.

A week later on the last day of aftercare, I picked him up. “Mom,” he said, “I hurt my finger a few minutes ago playing ball. It really hurts!”

Me: (to myself: Yeah, right! That got you out of Karate last week. It won’t work again!)

We got home, and son told hubby the same thing. “Let me look at it”, hubby said. Son showed him his finger. Hubby bent it, making son exclaim, “OW!!! That hurts!

Me: (Oh, please! Dad’s not going to buy into that!)

Dad: Where are the popsicle sticks? We’ll make a splint.

Hubby proceeded to make a splint with popsicle sticks. As he tried to tape it to son's finger, he exclaimed, “OWWW!!! That really hurts!!

Me: (OK. You’re a great actor! I can’t believe Dad’s humoring you!)

Soon after, I had to go somewhere for a while (I don’t remember where). When I got home, hubby said “I’m taking son to Prompt Care to have them check it.”

“OK!” I said cheerfully, “ I’ll see you later!”

What I really wanted to say: OK! I hope the patient with the leg broken in three places doesn’t mind waiting for the doctor to tell you it’s just a little sprain!

I smugly went about my business.

Several hours later, I was watching TV in bed. Hubby and son came into the room.

“What did the doctor say?” I asked, knowing what they would say.

“Well,” hubby said, “Son has a broken pinky”

Silence.

Me: “Oh.”

Otherwise, I am speechless.

Great. If hubby hadn’t intervened, my poor son would be walking around with a crooked pinky for the rest of his life. Once again, my instinctive mothering abilities were WRONG!

I guess parenting is a learning experience. I don't care what anyone says. There is no such thing as maternal instinct. I think, sometimes, that hubby has more maternal instinct than me (yes; I said 'maternal'). He probably won't appreciate me saying that, but thanks to him, our children will be saved from a crazy mother's 'instinctive' parenting.