Room Service Anyone?
Every once in a while I find myself getting caught up in the sometimes crazy service-led life I lead as a mom. One day I don’t even think about all I have to do, another day it makes me feel a little crazy and usually the day after that I end up finding myself in a position where I’ll either laugh or cry at the craziest little things.
Genny Heikka of My Cup 2 Yours is a new bloggy friend of mine who I often visit for inspiration and little nuggets of truth and hope. So when I read this post that included the line “But, blame it on being at that delirious parental breaking point where, like it or not, you’re either going to laugh or cry, I started cracking up.” I knew I HAD to feature it!!! That is a place I’ve found myself oh, so many times!
Not long ago, my husband got a new phone system in our house that makes working from home easier for him. One of the features of the system is that the phones intercom each other–a convenient thing when you need to ask a quick question from upstairs or downstairs and don’t want to holler.
My daughter thinks this is a handy feature too, and has had plenty of fun calling from room to room.
Especially at bed-time.
The other night, literally one minute after my husband and I put the kids to bed, we heard the intercom…
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I picked up the phone.
“Mommy?” My daughter said. “Can I have some warm milk?”
“No, Honey. It’s late. You haven’t even tried to get to sleep yet.”
“But, Mommy?”
“What?”
“I’m starving.”
“You already had dinner and brushed your teeth. It’s time for bed.” I got ready to hang up the phone.
“Wait, Mommy. If I have crackers, do I have to brush my teeth again?”
“You can’t have crackers.”
“But I’m starving.”
I knew I should stand firm. I knew it. But against my better judgment, I started to waver.
Maybe she’s going through a growth spurt, I thought. Maybe she should have a little snack…
“All right,” I said reluctantly, guiltily aware of the fact that I was teaching her if she bugged me long enough, I’d give in. “You can have an apple.”
“Mommy?”
“What?”
“What about quesadillas?”
“No!” I’d just caved and offered her a snack, and now she was getting picky? “No quesadillas. It’s bed-time. I’m hanging up the phone and I’m bringing you some apples.”
“Okay. But, Mommy?” she said in her sweetest voice possible.
“WHAT?”
“Can you please cook me some bacon?”
BACON?!?
“NO! I’m not making bacon. It’s nine o’clock! What do you think this is? Room service?”
Cute little laugh. “Yeah.”
I know I should’ve stopped the conversation right there. Or given her a consequence. Or done something to discourage her behavior. But, blame it on being at that delirious parental breaking point where, like it or not, you’re either going to laugh or cry, I started cracking up.
I laughed, then she laughed, until we both laughed so hard we couldn’t stop.
“Well, it’s not,” I finally managed, catching my breath.
“Okay,” she said, still giggling.
“Listen.” I tried to sound firm. “I’ll cut you some strawberries if you don’t want apples. Then you need to go to sleep.”
“Okay. I’ll have strawberries.”
“Okay.” Sigh.
“And Mommy?” she said.
“What?!?!”
“While you’re at it, can you make me some warm milk?”…
I don’t think these intercoms are such a handy feature after all.
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~ Written by Genny Heikka
Those intercoms wouldn’t work in my house. It’s too small. Why pay that money when you can holler for free?
But the laughing? That helps with the cost quite a bit…
Oh that is so funny! I made the mistake of giving one of my kids a bell one time when they were sick. The thing rang and rang the entire day long!