Sunday, November 20, 2011

Where is the Mother??

I love the moments when your child does something that has people looking around wondering where the mother is? And believe me they are not looking for the Mother of the Year, just the negligent mother who has not kept an eye on her child. And usually that mother is me!

So yesterday was no different as my sister and I decide to take the kids on a road trip and visit the Berkshire Museum for the Festival of Trees! So exciting! These things always seem like a great idea when you plan them but then when you actually are doing them reality sets in. So we enter the Museum and the kids are so excited and full of energy after the long ride to be set free in a place where most things are breakable. Great! Did I mention my 4 year old daughter was with me? Good times about to be had by all, but I gather the Christmas spirit and set off on this adventure. I give the speech that we are going to have a blast but we need to stay together and no running and no touching..just looking! Yeah right. As we navigate our way through and look at all the beautiful Christmas trees and the kids are so excited I lose myself in the Christmas spirit and make the number one Mom mistake! I forget for a moment that I am a Mom and have children with me that I should be watching. I have wandered a little farther then my daughter and was caught up in the pretty trees and the Norman Rockwell moment when I realize my daughter is not with me. Oh No!

As reality sets in and I am just turning around to look for her I notice a little crowd forming and a bit of a commotion. My heart stops as my eye catches a glimpse of a little girl with crazy curly hair leaning head first in the Museum wishing fountain and taking fistfuls of change out and putting them in her pockets. I am horrified and frozen. There are two older women shaking their heads in disgust, and there is a young couple laughing finding the whole thing very funny (note:they do not have kids), and then there is a young family with kids asking why she is doing that and the Mom explains really loud to her children that she should not be doing that! As I watch, I almost for a split second want to join the crowd that has gathered and not claim the child as mine but agree that this is horrible behavior and where is the Mother? But as I try to pretend the wild child stealing money and peoples wishes is not mine she catches a glimpse of me and yells "Mom look at all the money I found!" and in an instant everyone turns to look at me and I have the all too familiar pit in my stomach as I feel my face turn bright red and I have the frozen smile and teeth clenched as I approach her. To make matters worse a Museum security guard has made his way over and is watching to make sure all coins are returned to the fountain. As I explain to my daughter what she is doing is wrong and we need to put all the coins back in the fountain I notice the crowd still watching. It takes all my strength not to launch into a speech to defend myself and I think it would go something like this "Just keep staring people, you think it is easy, you think I wanted this to happen, should I mention I have not slept in like three nights from a kid coughing all  night, what are you perfect parents with your kids all dressed for a GAP ad and walking all nice holding your hands and listening to you..and blah..blah...blah.." But no I just keep smiling and do my nervous laugh as I help my daughter return all the coins back to the fountain with her still not understanding why and the security guard watching to make sure every coin is removed from her pockets! The crowd moves on and we continue our Christmas cheer. (Hope Santa wasn't watching because we thought he was PIS*** before!)

So needless to say we were followed the rest of the day by security to remind me that I am a mother and need to keep an eye on my children!!

2 comments:

  1. Oh Maggie!!! I have to say in Disney Andrew darted from me and climbed up onto the fountain and tried to crawl into it! The security guard was right there shaking her finger and said, "he's not allowed in there." I said, "I know, that's why I'm taking him down." I wanted to just say, "no shit lady you think I'm letting my kid go for a swim in the fountain!?"

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