Monday, May 11, 2009

Mother's Day update

You may recall that a few weeks ago, I was told by my daughter that I was "the meanest, worst, most horrible mommy in the world" and that I "don't know how to love." For this reason, I wasn't exactly sure what kind of a Mother's Day I would have -- especially since my husband, knowing exactly what I would want to do on Mother's Day, ensured that I would actually be doing the opposite. (He and the boys went to a Phillies game, leaving me alone with my nemesis daughter.)

Luckily for me, one essential part of Mother's Day is that all is forgiven.

Sort of.

From the lovely montage of Mother's Day tributes I received from Miss Thang:

an ode to me:

-- although I'd kill to know what was edited out ("Who fears my wrath"? "Who fears being left alone with her 7-yr-old daughter" "who fears her daughter's teenage years"?);

a letter (competitive much?):


And my favorite, the back-handed compliment:



I am nice "often." The rest of the time? Not so much.

I guess it's the best you could expect for a woman who doesn't know how to love.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh boy, she is starting young. My advice? Rise above, don't let it get to you. Or pretend it doesn't get to you, or you will be handing her a lot of negative power!

debd94 said...

Hey, I thought I was the meanest, most horrible mom in the world who doesn't care about anyone, LOL! I understand your pain. My daughter was so hurtful yesterday that I cried my eyes out (unusual), which scared her so much that she cried her eyes out! My husband and son looked on in confusion. What is it with mothers and daughters?

Thea said...

Hilarious. I had a fight with mine on Sat night and then felt soooo bad since it was a little (lot) of me being tired and re-entering the fray after a great kidless fiber fest day. They KNOW when to do it.....

I went up to her bed and apologized. Now THAT never happens - total upcoming Mother's Day guilt.

sleepycat said...

My husband doesn't know what to make of our 5-year old daughter and me either :-) Every so often when she doesn't get her way she'll say I'm the meanest, most horrible mother in the world. I tell her thank you, I work hard at it.

TracyKM said...

According to my son, the best thing about me is that I gave birth to him and cook for him. According to my daughter (6), "My mother loves it when 'I do not bother her'" and "My mother smiles when 'I get hurt'". Sigh. You'd think the teacher might try to intervene a little before they finished the project.

Joan said...

If our kids thought we were nice all the time, we wouldn't be doing our job right!

Carol said...

She's got all the qualities that make a good adult. Good luck with her until then.

Kris said...

She had me snorting out loud (very attractive, that) with the last comment. At the end of the process, I sense that she'll be your best friend -- and those of us with boys only will be jealous!

kathy said...

It's all part of the job of being a mom - when my kids say I'm being mean I just reply "Yup, it's in the mommy job description, you should take a look at it sometime - would make this whole mother/child thing run much smoother".

Robin said...

What was marked through -- some things -- we just don't need to know! Raising children is like trying to nail Jello to a tree!

(formerly) no-blog-rachel said...

Classic. Just classic. I'm laughing and wishing you the best of luck through her adolescence at the same time!

Bridget said...

This is hilarious! I realize that it may not be all that funny to you, but it sure made my day.

It is a shame though, that you don't know how to love ... ;-)

Leslie said...

When my son and his best friend (whose mom is my friend) were in first grade, they made Mom's Day cards that began with the sentence, "My Mom looks funny when...) My nice, calm, lovely dulcet-voiced friend received a card that said, "My Mom looks funny when she's screaming." My card? Apparently, I look funny in the shower. The boys are now 24, and we may start speaking to them in the next year or so! ;o)

Ali P said...

My son asked me the other day why I was being so nice that day. As opposed to what? I wondered out loud. Apparently I am usually screaming and mean.
Who knew?

Anonymous said...

I have two words for you

BOARDING SCHOOL

XO
Liza

MaryEllen (mellenknits) said...

If miss thang is anything like me or my sister, once she heads off to college she'll realize just how much you do for her, and that your "mean" words are words of wisdom. Now we joke "mom is right, mom is always right, mom will always be right"... Give it another 10 years or so and see what happens :)

Ashley said...

I said rather mean things to my mother when I was younger also. But, now we're very close, and I do feel so bad that I said those things to her. So, hopefully you will have the same luck!

Barb B. said...

Kids, eh? I had 2 boys, so none of the girl stuff. but there was the Mother's day card...The school phoned and said they were "considering suspending" my oldest. They were reserving judgement until I saw the card he had made for me at school, since my son assured them I would love it.
There it was, a string art card (which must have almost killed him to sit still long enough to make) with this message inside:
"Happy Mother's Day from your pain in the arse son".
He was 7 at the time. I had to phone and say that the kid was right, I loved it, and then wrestle with myself over how many times I must have said that to him!

Personally, I kind of like the "Who needs me" line. So much truer than her needing you!
And yes, I want to meet Ms. Thang when she is about 25 and conquering the entire world, and quite possibly president.

emy said...

Kids....sometimes they are just brutally honest and trying to test adults' tolerance limits!

Cindy G said...

I don't know, I would love it if my daughter thought I feared nothing.

One of my recurring phrases was "I don't know where she got to be so stubborn", usually employed while I was stubbornly insisting on something in opposition.