Genius Mama Moment: How I Aquired 30 More Minutes of Sleep

Posted by Mama on February 23, 2012 — Leave a Comment

In a rare moment of Mama Genius, I contrived a way to bank an extra 30 minutes of sleep in the morning. While the increased daylight hours work wonders to improve my mood, the earlier sunrise also works against me since the moment a ray of sunshine creeps through her blinds, Abigail bolts out of bed full of energy and brings that energy right into our bed. It was getting a little painful to be jolted out of a deep sleep at six o’clock by a 3.5 year old dumping a Tianna jigsaw puzzle on us and urging us to wake up and help piece it together. “Just snuggle with us for a few minutes first,” I’d urge our life-size alarm clock. She would agree, but after about ten seconds, the temptation to play hide-and-seek in the covers was too enticing at which point one of us would cave and indulge her while the other shuffled off to the kitchen to procure two giant mugs of strong, strong coffee.

Then I had a brainstorm. It involved an old cardboard diaper box, several sheets of construction paper, glitter glue, markers and stickers. I am not a crafty Mama – in fact, I loathe anything that involves glue because in case you haven’t noticed, the stuff doesn’t last more than like two weeks without caking up and requiring a freaking toolkit to get back in working order. I have cursed so many tubes of Elmer’s, it’s a miracle my daughters don’t refer to it as “this f**k#ing crappy excuse for a product.” But my idea was so genius, that I was willing to tackle yet another tube. I arranged all the supplies and then fetched the girls from their nap.

“We’re making a big girl box for Abigail!” I announced to which Abigail’s eyes lit up and Paige declared that she had made a poopy. As I took care of the poopy I explained the concept: we would decorate a big box with glitter and stickers (“I want it to be pink with lots of sparkles and princesses!!!!” Abigail shrieked). Then, we fill it with all kinds of things for the morning – an outfit to put on ALL BY YOURSELF, a few puzzles since we are well aware of the a.m. jigsaw compulsion, a coloring book and crayons, and after you go to sleep, Mama will put a surprise breakfast in too. “With a special treat?” Hey, if you let me sleep an extra half hour and don’t wake me by jumping on my skull, I’ll buy out all the remaining king size candy bars they are taking off the market and you can suck down as many special treats as you want while I snooze.

As we worked diligently pasting construction paper onto the box (I only lost my temper twice over the glue!), making giant glitter swirls, strategically placing stickers, and scrawling “Abigail’s Big Girl Box” in giant purple letters, we discussed what would happen the following morning. While she was a little nervous about being all by herself while waiting for us to wake up, her fears were overshadowed by the visions I could see churning away in her head of her new grown up privileges. Plus, I told her she could bring Otis, her stuffed owl, downstairs with her to keep her company.

Big Girl Box

The next morning, my eyes fluttered open at 6:20…WITHOUT ANYONE DUMPING A JIGSAW PUZZLE ON ME!! Could this be? Was I really waking up on my own? I looked beside me. James was still asleep. It was a miracle. I was so excited, I jumped out of bed and started to beeline it for the living room to see if the Big Girl Box was in use. But I skidded to a stop en route. What, was I crazy? Why the hell was I about to interrupt quiet toddler time? Instead, I put my ear to the door and listened. I heard some shuffling around followed by the crinkling of a wrapper (aha! She discovered the Cinderella fruit smack special treat), a little slurping of the juice box, and then some chatter with Otis regarding the strategy of piecing together Madeline’s hat on the new puzzle I had thrown in the box. As far as I could tell, nothing had broken and no one was hurt which gave me a window of opportunity to shower and get ready without a few rounds of Simon Says (aka Abigail Says) thrown in. Without any interruption, I was able to get ready in record time and when I finally ventured out to the living room, I was met with a fully dressed and fed daughter coloring happily beside a completed jigsaw of Madeline.

Has the Big Girl Box worked this smoothly every morning since? No. Some mornings she is not dressed, one morning her apple juice box had exploded, and this morning she brought the box upstairs to the room she shares with Paige and the two of them managed to completely destroy the room with puzzle pieces. But the bottom line is this: we have consistently gained an extra half hour of sleep, but more importantly, we are awakening to the sounds of birds chirping and the faint sound of the coffee maker starting the daily brew rather than demands for hide-and-seek and crushed limbs. I’d say the battle with the glue and the occasional spill or puzzle piece tornado is well worth it. And just for the record, I realize I have just written a brief dissertation touting my maternal genius and I would like to point out that I did so simply because I have had so many failed ideas as a mother that I really felt the need to gloat. If you attempt a Big Girl (or Boy) Box and it fails miserably, don’t get down on your parental abilities – I’m sure your one up on me in the glue department.

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Nana Natters: I Know I’m A Pain In The Neck, But….

Posted by Nana on February 23, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Like many other Nanas, I realize that I am sometimes considered to be a pain in the butt when putting in my 2 cents about how to discipline the grandkids; acting like a real wise guy in the parenting department. I give suggestions, dish out criticisms, and believe my way of doing things is right. This attitude on my part often tends to make my children feel inadequate, defensive, and inevitably pissed off….Rightly so.
It’s easy for us grandmas who supposedly possess all the wisdom, to come into a challenging childrearing situation and attempt to access it without background, first hand knowledge, and plain old sensitivity. We feel entitled to voice our opinions, exert our power, and flaunt our assumed expertise. However, in our efforts to make things all better, we’re actually creating more friction much of the time. We need to allow our children to experience the responsibility of parenting for themselves and trust them to learn to handle difficult situations. Should they ask for advice about childrearing, that’s one thing. However, I know I am often guilty of talking out of turn and interfering in ways I shouldn’t.
We consider ourselves authorities. Our only qualification for such a title is that we have somehow managed to hobble through the parenting phase. But just because we got through it, hardly warrants us to claim a sense of entitlement.
I’d be the first to admit that I’ve meddled inappropriately. My intention was never to control or dictate but rather to try to help. Later I realized that I had no right to jump in and take over. Ain’t my job. The only assistance I should be giving is to one of guidance when asked. After all, who made us the Discipline Police?
I remember my own mother coming to visit and I would constantly be on edge fearing her disapproval of the way I handled situations. I felt incompetent, agitated, and guarded. I thought I had a handle on things and then she would nonchalantly step into a state of affairs she knew little about and intervene using her tactics and at the same time undermining mine. It irked me that I was over- tired, worn out, and inundated with Mommy chores and she breezed in, fresh as a daisy, clueless and began dishing out advice. Defensively I held tight to my stubborn ways. She certainly meant no harm. However, in my feelings of inexperience and ineptness, I reacted. Years later, when I had indeed caught up on my sleep and realized I was making a big deal about nothing, I began to forgive her. Now looking at my kids, I couldn’t be prouder about the way they turned out. Whether I had chosen to take my mother’s advice or stick to my own methods, I believe my kids would have turned out pretty much the same. After all, both my mom and I were well intended and I think to a certain degree, children are predisposed to become who they are supposed to be.
Neither parenting nor childrearing is a science; rather an art. No one has the “right” answers and every child, every family, every situation demands different approaches to dealing with things. So join hands with this Nana and try cooling it, sitting back, relaxing. Enjoy those little gifts we’ve been given and have faith that those we have brought into this world will all survive without our meddling ways and our know-it-all attitudes. “Let it be…”

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Nana Natters: True Confessions

Posted by Nana on February 7, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Nana Writing

When our lives get overloaded and the stress takes over, I wonder what it is that prevents most of us from fessing up and admitting that we’re depleted and drained. Why do we feel we need to keep going, make justifications, excuses, and apologies? We tend to label ourselves as failures if we’re not able to accomplish the sometimes unrealistic goals we set for ourselves. Our society has become competitive and we as individuals follow suite, striving to become supermoms, super wives, super achievers, super grandparents, and superwomen.

So when Jill recently decided her stress level had reached such a high that her cat was being banished to the basement on a regular basis, and fearing that she was soon to be reported to the Humane Society, she realized that something had to give; thus, giving up her weekly blogging contributions for the time being.

I applaud her valor and hope that she will discover that it is not necessary to meet all the high standards she has set for her life. Far more important is to find contentment and happiness in everyday living whatever that may be. We don’t need to impress others as much as we need to satisfy our own needs and desires of the moment.

I, like most, had been a victim of this same situation and continue to do so; however, as I mature, not to such a high degree. I have come to recognize that what people might think is far less important than tending to our own sanity, comfort, and welfare. Lessening our burdens free us up to enjoy the benefits that life has to offer.

It’s important to set objectives to make us feel productive and gratified. To find a steady pace that works is the challenge. It’s a balancing act, constantly being questioned and needing re-evaluation depending on our situation at the moment. We need to periodically assess our level of satisfaction and fulfillment and make the proper adjustments as need be.

Due to Jill’s actions, I’ve decided to re-examine and process my own wants and desires regarding time management. In doing so, I’ve chosen to change the titles of my posts from “Tuesdays with Nana” to “Nana Natters”, allowing me to natter away whenever I fancy rather than on a regular, regimented basis. I feel this will alleviate the anxiety of meeting deadlines that create unnecessary pressure in my life, allowing time for more relaxed, carefree, days.

So I will continue to natter on, representing the “wise older conqueror” who has lived through the trials and tribulations of survival, contributing my two cents and at the same time allowing me to reflect upon my own experience. Writing has always been a means by which I can express myself and Jill’s suggestion to blog along with her has been a great outlet for me to ponder and assess. We all need different things at various stages of our lives. It’s always a good idea to take stock, making necessary adjustment along the way.

Thanks Jill. We continue to learn from each other.

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Mama’s Friday Muse: Quitting Time

Posted by Mama on February 3, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Juggling Mama

I have decided to take a blogging hiatus. Turns out juggling blogging, writing a book, running a business, raising two toddlers, trying to stay in shape, and maybe a minute or two of occasional “me” time is leading to inappropriate mood swings on my part. Unfortunately for my cat, I tend to take a lot of stress out on him and find myself screaming things like, “I don’t need to hear whining out of you too you little f*c!$r.” I know – horrific behavior. But it was either him or the kids and I thought it best to keep the swearing on the down-low until they’re about ten.

I am starting to sense that James is a little taken aback by my outbursts and honestly, I don’t enjoy feeling like a downright mean person. Something has to give. So, after a particularly moody day yesterday, I took a deep breath and surveyed the tasks that comprise my days. I divided these tasks into two categories – “enjoy” and “creates stress.” Under “creates stress,” I listed the following:

1. Bath time

2. Bed time

3. Getting the kids dressed

4. Feeding the kids

5. Thinking of weekly blog topic and writing said blog

6. Finding time to work on manuscript and feeling like a failure every time I put it on the back burner

Interesting. Next, I looked at my list and questioned what could be eliminated. Since the kids really have to wear clothes, eat and sleep on a regular basis, I couldn’t really eliminate numbers 2, 3, or 4. And bath time, while somewhat excruciating is pretty much non negotiable since Paige is the messiest girl in the world. A nightly bath, however, may not be entirely necessary. It would depend entirely on whether a wipe could do the job or if the banana mashed into her hair was starting to smell.

That left me with item #5 – blogging – and #6 – writing. Will the world go into a holding pattern if I don’t blog regularly? Will my book project still be waiting for me in five years when I have a little more time to dedicate to writing it? The answer was clear – if anything could be eliminated from my stress list, it was those two items.

It’s funny – rather than feeling like a failure for tabling this project, I feel proud of my ability to finally be honest about what I can and can’t handle. There are heaps of books out there tackling the subject of moms trying to be perfect and never feeling successful in anything they do. Constantly feeling one step behind is not good for the psyche and I tried for way too long to do everything. I’ll get the book done one of these days, but for me, for now, it’s just going to have to wait. So without further ado, I am slowing down in hopes of conjuring up enough patience for shoe-tying lessons, finger painting, and perhaps even some cuddling time with the cat (if he’s not terrified of me). Catch you in five years.

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Tuesdays With Nana: And Now for Something Completely Different

Posted by Nana on January 31, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Swamp Buggy Race

The other day I went to the Swamp Buggy Races held here in Naples FL; my first time ever I might add. Whoa—eee! What a great time! It was down and dirty and mighty fun if I don’t say so myself. Them there vehicles sure had some height to them and those wheels…. Hee haw! I’m telling you…….mighty colossal.

So I’m sittin’ up on them there bleachers, in the crowds, getting my bearings, learning the rules, watching the show. Motors are a-roaring, water a-spraying, mud a-slinging, and the sun a-shinin’. And me, a people-watcher, start paying more attention to the folks in the stands than the “real” event.

I’m telling you…those youngins… So damn cute! I took sight of a sweetheart of a little girl, a blondie, sitting on grand-pappy’s knee; snuggled right on in there, warmed and tucked in as snug as can be. Then there was little Joe, cheering along with Papa for his favorite vehicle “Swampbuster,” footed in mud boots, his tank top covered with good, wholesome, old-fashioned dirt. And the oldies but goodies, tattooed to the whazoo, corn dogs and beer in hand, having a gay old time. And them teenagers didn’t hesitate to join in, smoochin’ in the back row.

Kids ran freely, smiles and shouts of glee a-plenty, snow cones dripping. No designer outfits here, no “don’t run away from Mama” warnings, no waiting in lines, no preoccupations with cell phones, encumbrances, or interferences; total attention paid to each other; observing family-style entertainment; unadulterated, healthy, down- home fun for all ages; innocent love of the sport, shared time together. As a result, merriment ensued and love radiated.

I commented to my companion about my observations. How different the children here appeared to me from those whom I taught in my preschool. For the most part, kids at my school are dressed to the nines, squeaky clean, combed and neat as can be. No problem there. They’re real cuties and their parents are proud to show them off and keep them detangled, tidy and orderly. But I have to say, there was something precious and naive about the natural beauty of disheveled, ingenuous, candid, mud stained, little rugrats, scampering around, so uncomplicated and genuine.

There is something to be said for letting the kids run free; no planned days filled with scheduled lessons, play dates, instruction, and rigid supervision and scrutinization. Sometimes in our attempts to give everything to our children, we miss the boat. In the end, it’s not the material things they’re looking for. Rather, I believe what our kids really want from us is our time and attention; our complete devotion and joining in fun activities the whole family simply enjoys together.

I remember when my grandkids came over to America (they live abroad in Australia) not so long ago. I was so excited to give them a day out at Disney World. No doubt we had a thrilling time, but their longing was to spend their entire time solely on the race track cars, dismissing all other options. And I, in my attempt to show them what I considered an ideal time, felt I needed to expose them to the entire Magic Kingdom Park, convincing them to visit as many sights as possible and shop the souvenir stores for a special memory to take back with them. The next day it rained and I took them to Chucky Cheese for lunch. We ended up spending the entire afternoon there where they had the time of their lives, playing arcade bowling the whole time, collecting tickets to turn in for trinket prizes which by the end of the day had satisfied their purpose. Upon arrival back in Australia, the big talk was about their day at Chucky Cheese. Disney World for them was but a marginal distraction.

So my proposal.… Don’t knock your socks off trying to entertain in lavish ways, enroll them in the top-notch fad of the moment, buy them name brand clothes and worry about paint stains, make sure they are outfitted with the latest sports gear. The best thing you can give your kids is downright notice, consideration, awareness, and worthy attention. Sneak into their world every now and then, let your hair down, and kick up your heels. Might I suggest a day out at one of them there Swamp Buggy Races? You may just have yourself a hell of a damned good knee- slapping time… without even trying.

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Mama’s Friday Muse: Listen Up

Posted by Mama on January 27, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Mom Yelling

I hate when I yell so loud at my kids that my throat hurts. There it is – a vague tickle lingering around my tonsils, all day reminding me that I behaved irrationally. But seriously, my irrational behavior is simply a response to their irrational behavior. Take the other morning for example: two identical plastic bowls of Cheerios sat juxtaposed on the counter. Yet there was a fierce battle over one of them. One bowl did not contain a greater quantity than the other. Both bowls were orange. Neither bowl displayed crushed or broken Cheerios. Yet, the bowl on the left was the coveted bowl and at 7am before I had managed to caffeinate myself, the shrieks that ensued over the damn cereal put me over the edge. Add to the mix that James and I had just returned from an adult only vacation where the weather was warm, the food and drinks were plentiful, and there were no kids allowed at the all-inclusive resort where we found ourselves poolside and carefree for 72 straight hours. Diving back into reality was challenging – especially when visions of me sipping my morning latte on our balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico while READING A BOOK kept replaying in my mind.

Hence the yelling. If you had asked me pre-motherhood if I thought I’d be a yeller, I would have vehemently declared, “no way.” My own mother rarely yelled and I always thought of myself as a mini version of her. We are alike in so many ways, but when it comes to motherhood, I got the vocal chords while she had the “patience of a saint” (as my dad would always say). I also always considered myself fairly laid back and even keeled. Enter kids. Now, the slightest whine makes me tense and moody.

Someone once told me that there is no better way to learn about yourself than through your reactions to your children. I’ve also heard time and time again that there is no job harder than parenthood. So it makes sense that taking on the hardest job in the world teaches us about our true selves. I am not entirely comfortable with the fact that my true self involves a lack of patience, a tendency toward raising my voice, and a predisposition to become easily irritated. Who knew I had these characteristics lurking under my once mellow personality? What is it about having kids that brought these traits to the surface?

As parents, we always feel we are doing something wrong or reacting the wrong way in challenging situations. We will always second guess our conduct and blame ourselves for any negative circumstances that might come to pass in our children’s lives. ‘If only I had done more puzzles with little Albert as a child, perhaps he wouldn’t struggle so much with algebra.’ ‘Perhaps if I had welcomed more play dates for Dexter, he would be more social and would be a little smoother with the ladies.’ Despite our efforts to be “perfect” parents, there is really no way to guarantee smooth sailing for our kids. Would I like to yell less frequently? Sure. Especially because my throat hurts on a somewhat regular basis. But who’s to say that the yelling doesn’t do my kids a little good? After all, growing up sans shouting led me to burst into tears whenever a teacher or adult figure raised her voice. Maybe I’m setting them up for the real world and giving them more of a backbone than I ever had. Or maybe I’m just giving them and everyone within a two mile radius a headache. I’ll never know. So I’ll just continue to be the parent that I am and hope they don’t blame me for every obstacle that comes their way. Wish me luck.

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Tuesdays With Nana: 63 And Counting

Posted by Nana on January 24, 2012 — Leave a Comment

It was my birthday yesterday. Until very recently, the fact that I was indeed aging was not a huge consideration for me. However, lately, as the years accumulate, I have come to realize that I am not invisible and life does not go on forever. I have amassed quite a bit of wisdom along the way, experienced both celebrations and heartaches, and tried different approaches to situations. So yesterday, on my special anniversary, in my attempt to seek contentment and gain the most out of life, I decided to launch a new perspective.

I see parents at the school where I teach as well as my own kids, struggling to keep up with the arduous task of parenting and stressing out in the process. Although enjoying the journey for the most part, due to the fact that the task is so concentrated, it is easy for them to become bogged down with the worry, concerns, and responsibilities that careers and parenting consume. I was typically like them during that phase in my life.
.
Now, many years later, I am basking in the rewards of a job accomplished. But up until just now I have been so accustomed to the role of caretaking that I haven’t allowed myself the luxury of relaxing, calming down, taking it easy, and indulging myself. I realize that I can now let things happen rather than make them.

So in my quest to live a long peaceful life, I’m adopting a fresh approach. It will be an experiment but one that I believe will be beneficial; lessening stress and becoming more carefree. I’ve heard said that the secret to a long life is pursuing a positive attitude and accepting what is.

I hear these phrases regularly, but feel few people truly live up to their implications. My intention is to adhere to them as closely as possible, let go, and truly live a happy life.

“It is what it is”
“Chill out”
“Just go with the flow”

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Tuesdays With Nana: When the Modern Nana Changes Gears

Posted by Nana on January 20, 2012 — Leave a Comment

I’ll be the first to admit. For the past few years I’ve been spoiled. I’m living here in paradise in Naples, FL, on my own, and having the time of my life. No encumbrances, no husband, no pets, no children living at home, and frankly, no real responsibilities. I’m dating, going out a lot with friends, and generally enjoying life to the full; doing what I want, when I want, with whom I want. I have a part-time job that keeps me occupied and out of trouble; preschool teacher which gratifies me and satisfies my need to connect with young children and their families.

I love having my own kids come to visit. My children and my grandkids are what keep me grounded. I know that this relatively new (3 year) chapter I’m going through will be short-lived. It’s just a phase and soon will want to settle down and live a more realistic way of life, but for right now, it’s working and I’m totally enjoying my freedom.

So here’s my recent story. My daughter Jill and son-in-law James along with their two daughters Abigail (3) and Paige (2) have come down to spend 10 days in Naples with me. Well, sort of; Abigail and Paige are in Naples for the full 10 days. Jill and James are dividing their time between Naples and Cancun where they flew off to yesterday morning, leaving me in charge of my two little angels for the next four days while they vacation on their own.  I’m only too happy give them time on their own while spending quality time alone with my dumplings.

However I have to admit that my modern lifestyle has been being seriously affected.

Here are some examples:

Exercising has taken on a whole new meaning. Rather that yoga and zumba classes, I’ve been running around in various playgrounds, swinging on swings, and climbing up ladders and sliding down slides.

My movie choices have changed drastically within the space of a couple of days. Three nights ago I was engrossed in the risqué “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” while downing half a bottle a wine in a posh, state-of-the-art movie house with luxurious, assigned, stadium style seating. Three days later I find myself adorned with special 3-D Glasses, babes in arms, balancing a box of popcorn on my knee, shoes stuck to spilt soda soaked into the floors, trying to keep little voices within acceptable volumes and attentions held.

I’ve discovered a new meaning to the term, “sleeping around.” Recently thought of as an activity for consenting adults, I found myself participating in a children’s game of musical beds; trying to show compassion for two little wakeful cupcakes missing their mom and dad in the night.

I’ve gone from kicking up my heels at the lively “Blue Martini” with devilish partners to doing the dancing the hokey pokey with two darlings within the confines of my own home.

Hokey Pokey

My Rolex watch has been temporary replaced by a waterproof Mickey Mouse number.

I have discovered that Boston Market’s price for baked chicken is quite advantageous to that of Capital Grill’s.

All this to say that a break from my “norm” has been a blast and one that I will cherish for a long, long time. There’s nothing like being a grandma. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy; have your fill and then deliver them back to Mom and Dad, happy and spoiled and filled with happy memories for all to treasure. Then get out there with my contemporaries, party, party, party and never neglect to pull out photos of my little true loves all for everyone to admire.

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Mama’s Friday Muse: Carpe Diem

Posted by Mama on January 20, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Okay…so I’m cheating this week and not writing my own blog.  Hey, I’m on vacation.  What do you want?  Instead I’m sharing this article which I may as well have written since I couldn’t agree more:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Enjoy!

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Mama’s Friday Muse: “My” Daughter

Posted by Mama on January 13, 2012 — Leave a Comment

His and Hers

“His and hers.” Remember that line from The Parent Trap when one of Hailey Mill’s clones refers to the custody arrangements their divorced parents had bestowed upon the newly discovered twins? While James and I are happily married and by no means need to divvy up our kids, they have taken it upon themselves to assign one parent per child. Abigail puts in bluntly (as most three year olds have a knack for doing), “I love Papa and Paige loves Mama.” I tried to explain that we all have enough love in our hearts to love many, many people, but the concept was lost and Paige continues to introduce me to strangers as “My Mama” with a very possessive emphasis on the word “my.”

So yesterday when we boarded the plane for our annual vacation to Florida, it was predetermined that since we had two sets of seats one row in front of the other, we would each be in charge of our assigned daughter. Everyone seemed pleased with the set up, particularly Paige who longs for one on one time with me but rarely receives it. She’s constantly taking my hand and leading me over to her mini Dora the Explorer couch. “Sit with me,” she orders as I’m trying to prepare their dinner, fold the laundry and empty the dishwasher simultaneously. I oblige for about a minute before the pot of water on the stove starts boiling over and I leave a sulky Paige with promises that I’ll return in a minute. “In a minute,” are words I feel I repeat over and over and over, the words losing much meaning to anyone after awhile. Three and a half hours, therefore, of dedicated Mama cuddling time were a dream come true, not just for Paige, but for me too. I had no water boiling on the stove, no laundry to fold, no mess to vacuum, no lunch to pack for the next day. For three hours, my only job was to pacify my daughter, a task that wound up being far easier than I anticipated thanks to Paige’s enthusiasm for the lavish attention she was finally receiving.

Sure I felt a little guilty that it took confining our family to a plane to finally stop and just “be” with our daughters. But I will say this – when the plane touched down and everyone within ear shot showered us with glowing compliments about the behavior of our children (side note – did you ever notice that when you travel with kids no one ever speaks to you until the end of the flight?), I patted myself on the back for being a multi-tasking mom and saving quality time for the moments when it was really needed. My point is this: if you have a flight coming up in the not too distant future, use my catch phrase, “in a minute,” and skimp a little when it comes to doting. Save it all up for the plane ride when, thousands of feet above ground, there is no turning back, but you won’t mind – you’ll finally be cuddling with your child, tasks and chores far from your mind.

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