Tuesday, January 4, 2011

How kids view parents: the stages

Not too long I gave Q. a grey knit unisex-y scarf of mine because he liked it. My friend Nancy bought it at the Sundance outlet and gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago--and really it's quite an attractive neckwrap. You put it on and immediately you feel all uber-cool and Robert Redford-y. I'm happy to share it with my youngest son, who is one of the handsomest, nicest boys in the world.

Anyhoodle! This morning on our way home from the airport where we deposited London-bound Geoffrey, Q. asked if I was SURE the scarf had been mine in the first place.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling mildly annoyed.

He then wondered--politely, carefully, but nonetheless outloudly--if I'd gotten mixed up. Maybe I'd had a scarf similar to the one I'd given him that wasn't actually the one I'd given him? Was that possible?

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" I asked, now feeling NOT mildly annoyed.

He explained that his friend David had lost a scarf at our house, and when he saw Q.'s Sundance outlet scarf--the one Nancy gave me for Christmas and I SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE I WAS THERE WHEN SHE GAVE IT TO ME--David suggested it was the one he'd misplaced.

"ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF STEALING SCARVES FROM YOUR FRIENDS?" I asked. "BECAUSE DUDE I HAVE WAY BETTER, MORE WORTHWHILE THINGS TO DO IN THIS LIFE THEN STEAL SCARVES FROM YOUR FRIENDS." (Such as reading online about how one of the Kardashians delivered her own baby, for instance. But whatevs.)

By now Q. was thoroughly sorry he'd brought up the subject but still. I could tell I hadn't convinced him and do you know why? Because all my kids think I'm crazy anyway, which brings me to the title subject. When your kids are babies, they kinda worship you. And then when they're a little older they're embarrassed about you. And then after that they just think you're nuts. They love you, but they think you're nuts. This was a point Louise made in her brilliant talk in church a few weeks ago. She should post it so you can read it.

Okay. Thank you for listening. Meanwhile, please ex-squeeze me while I go steal me some scarves.

5 comments:

SWILUA said...

You go to church with Louise? I'm so jealous. If both of you were in my ward I'd totally go to church more often and not even wear my earplugs.. like I maybe might do... sometimes.

Also, my six year old Sam worships me AND thinks I'm crazy. But my four year old told me she thinks I'm a monster and I make her angry and frustrated and disappointed.

Sam is right about me being crazy at least.

Lisa B. said...

I have been thinking about this very same topic--how my kids, or at least some of them, think I'm crazy. And you know what? the fact that they do MAKES me crazy. I can feel myself being crazy right in front of their eyes. Ack! it's horrible.

I totally believe you that you didn't steal that scarf, by the way. But it you had stolen it, it would have been okay, because kids who think we're crazy had better stay on their toes, that's what.

Anne said...

Which Kardashian?

Greg and Jayne said...

And then if they're girls (count your blessings Miss Ann) when they get to their, oh say, middle twenties, they will realize that you were not the cool and nearly perfect mother they always thought your were. And they will enumerate the imperfections. But if they are boys they go back to thinking you are nearly perfect. I'm 3 and 3, so nearly perfect and feeling guilty for for being so terribly.

BBB said...

Cause if you're going to steal SOMETHING, it would totally be scarves. Not. It would be chocolate or cupcakes or those cookies you like from Ruby Snap. BUT you might need a scarf to cover your face while you're stealing above mentioned, so... are you sure Nancy gave you that scarf???