Parent control

We have been way too busy in this household for the past few months.  But I'm sure that's a complaint not many people are willing to listen to.  We weren't willing to listen to it ourselves and set aside a whole Saturday to do something about it. 

The conversation J-M and I had with Mallory and Sophia started off something like this, "So, girls, do you miss Mommy and Daddy?  Well, how would you like to spend all of Saturday doing whatever you want with us?"  Which changed to, "Well, not whatever. Let's be reasonable."  With the addendum, "Between the hours of 10 and 4.  I'd like to sleep in and six hours seems like a reasonable amount of time."  In time, they'll learn to hate the word "reasonable."  But that day they just saw all the possibilities.

We gave them the week to think about some ideas.  They took their task very seriously and spent their time planning and revising and re-revising an agenda with the heading in bold "PARENT CONTROL DAY."

It had such suggestions and contributions as:

• Polly Pockets?
• Lego?
• Buy a treat at the Dollar Store.
• Read Harry Potter out loud.
• Pool!  If we can find our bathing suits and a pool.
• Do Mommy's hair.
• Mommy can't have more than 5 Diet Cokes. 
• No chores!!!
• Tickle fight!!!
• Draw pictures - competition.

The title had me a tad bit scared that their expectations might be a little high, but the list was so reasonable.  It almost made me feel bad that I hadn't spoiled them more. 

In the end, we didn't do all that much; a trip to the dollar store, 4 pictures for $3 in 4 minutes at the photo booth at the mall, McDonald's, and the afternoon at the pool.  But there was a wonderful comfort that came from dedicating time to each other.  We were all looking only at each other that day and the rest of the world faded away for a short time. 

I knew that we had done the right thing when just after picking up the soggy polaroids from the photo booth and even before McDonald's, Sophia said, "This is definitely the best day of my life."  We agreed right then and there to let the girls have control more often.  Within reason, of course.