I think that along with the other mommy titles we get (cookie maker, band-aide applicator, story reader, meal fixer, etc.) there should also be Mother: Crusher of Dreams. It seems like my day is filled with telling Natalee things she shouldn't do; don't step in that puddle, don't make a road with your books, don't paint on your pants, don't put your bike helmet on since I just did your hair and we're not riding bikes, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't!
Even when I make an effort to let her do things, even if I don't think they are a good idea, I still find myself in the don't cycle pretty regularly.
She's also got collections of treasures that I don't understand. Even when I try to pare them down, they somehow multiply. I blame this side of Natalee on her father, for he too is a collector of things. I am a thrower away of things. Which brings me to this picture that I found when going through the pictures of what we did this summer. This is the remains of an owl pellett, or to be more specific, the remains of a small rodent that the owl wasn't able to digest and then pooped out in a mass of hair and other disgusting things. Natalee went to a summer group called Arts in the Park for three weeks in July and for some reason, they got a little cup of rodent remains one day to bring home. Since I am a thrower away of things (that ARE garbage and shouldn't have been brought into my house in the first place) I wanted to throw it away. My daughter who is a collector of things cried and debated and made deals and begged to keep the rodent remains. We settled on a compromise of taking a picture, so she'd have something to remember it by and giving it a proper burial....in the garbage can.
There I am, crushing another dream. I just didn't know any other way to do it and looking at this, I still feel a little bit bad that she was so upset. So I repeat, it must be hard for a little collector, who is so creative and sensative, to have me for a mother. Something tells me this is only the beginning of our not seeing eye to eye episodes, and I need to try and be better. But I do draw the line at having rodent bones in my kitchen. There are some things for which I refuse to budge.
7 comments:
Oh my gosh! In the first place, who is the weirdo that let your child play with owl-pooped-out-rodent-remains?!?!?! That is so disgusting! Cross that person off your Christmas list.
Second, why were they not thrown out the very second you saw them? I say crush that owl-poop dream. CRUSH IT!!
I am a throw a way person myself. It usually gets me into trouble when I throw away a pile of papers that Brett has collected and there was a bill, warrenty, or persons number on it. It happens way too often.
He and Nathan must be related. That same scenario plays out at our house sometimes too.
Oh, that's totally gross. I'm somewhat sentimental, but I'm also a thrower-awayer. My husband is also a keeper...in more ways than one. hee hee
And, hey, thanks for making me famous! If you go back a read my comments, the one by Alli is even more embarrassing...but good for a laugh.
I am constantly saying, "Miriam, we don't keep garbage." She wants to keep the packaging from toys and broken pinatas.
EWWW That is gross, but I guess I rarely understand art. How have you guys been? I am back in the blogging world now that I have internet access and a camera so I can stay in touch better. Is Natalie happy in first grade? I am missing Keslee being gone all day. Guess I am a keeper.
I'm the weird one who probably would have let my kid keep it - for a little while, would be the deal. Then I'd forget and FIND the poop some YEARS later and wonder what the heck I was thinking!
Christian's 3rd grade teacher is the one who has most emphasized SCIENCE (his favorite). She brought in owl poop for all of the kids to DISECT and see what they found inside and make INFERENCES. That's what GATE teachers do. Thankfully, she didn't let anyone take home the poop. But she DID keep some on display in her classroom.
I actually find it fascinating, but again, as I said in my first statement, I'm weird.
Did I mention that I'm a keeper of things? I never know where to draw the line on what is considered trash or treasure. I do draw the line on the scraps from some project the kids cut out at school. My girls bring the extra paper home in their backpacks so they can USE it for something! I know they got this from my genes, but still, even I can see that is trash! I need to bring people like you, who can throw things away, home with me for a while - to teach me HOW to throw things away. I find it very painful! There is a REASON for every bit of crap I keep. I don't search for that reason, it's just there. I've got so many books on organizing it's not funny! I think it's in my genes, so unless someone can alter them, I'm stuck keeping too much stuff to take care of in this lifetime.
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