The Scales of Parenting

I’m still too busy to breathe, but I wanted to send out a report from the front lines of life in our house.

Every time I think I’ve performed every sleep-deprived, distracted-parent goof in the book, I manage to do a new one. Today I completely walked away from a faucet running full-bore into a plugged sink. For probably about twenty minutes.

What was the worst part? Was it that sinking feeling when I remembered I’d left the faucet on? Nope. It wasn’t that moment, because that moment never happened.

Instead, I walked by the kitchen door and thought, What’s that noise? Is water boiling on the stove? Are the sprinklers on outside? I didn’t realize what I’d actually done until I walked into the kitchen and saw it!

So, on the scales of parenting, I count that on the negative side.

In neutral territory—as in I’m not sure WHAT this means—Big A. found a way to work early ‘90s pop into helping S. with her composition homework. S.’s piano teacher asked her to compose a piece in C minor, three quarter time, using both staccato and legato. (This would be why only Big A. can help her. I can barely remember that, let alone wrap my mind around it!)

So, S. got stuck. Big A. sat down to help her organize her thoughts—you know, prioritize. Channeling Big Audio Dynamite II, he said, “The only important thing these days is rhythm and melody.”

Apparently, it was a good starting point, but I really don’t know what to make of that!

And, on the win side of the scale…well, sometimes I just can’t believe how lucky we get.

Thanks to scrapbooking night in Girl Scouts, S. fell in love with the whole process. On the first day of vacation, she wanted to buy paper and stickers with her own money so she could make some pages. As we shopped, Little A. fell in love with scrapbooking, too. And the end result?

Our kids are dying to stay busy this summer doing chores so they can earn money to buy scrapbook supplies, which will keep them even busier making scrapbooks. And that also means…they will do all the scrapbooking for us!

Is that not just a massive parenting hat trick? Holy cow, we’re lucky.

May the scales of parenting ever tip that far in your favor!