Why I feel older than I really am

There is an unwritten rule that says a mom will always be needed if she is on the phone, in the bathroom, or cooking supper. Don't ask me why, that's just the way it is. Last night while I was getting ready to put our meal on the table someone started pounding on the window. Usually it would be child doing the pounding, but this time it wasn't. It was my husband yelling, "Quick! Get the camera!" Immediately the wheels start turning and panic sets in. This could be a good thing or, most likely, a bad thing. I quickly grabbed the camera and handed it to him, and he took off running. Was there a snake in the pool or a gator in the yard? Or could a child possibly be dangling precariously from a tree branch? Bingo! The good thing (or maybe not-so-good-thing) is that it wasn't my kid up at the top. It was our 9-year-old neighbor from across the street. I wonder if our homeowner's insurance policy covers something like this?His twin sister was climbing up not too far behind him. Mickey was keeping pace with her. No way was my son going to be outdone by a girl!They all three decided at the same time to climb down. At that point I turned around and headed back in the house-- too many screams and swaying branches for me! I could hear my husband calling out to them something about broken bones costing a lot of money. Thankfully they all made it safely down. The next time Mickey asks me if he can go to his friend's house to play and I say no, he should know better that to ask me why. If he'll attempt to break his neck right in front me, imagine what he might do somewhere else! His friend's mom might agree with him and think that climbing really high trees in your school clothes is a good idea. Or maybe she realizes that kids will be kids even if they know that they are causing their mothers to age prematurely.

Labels: The Kiddos