Guilt for New Years!

You know, there is nothing like starting off 2010 with a heapload of parental guilt. Here’s what happened.

Hubby and I decided at the last minute to go to a party at the home of a great friend we hadn’t seen in awhile. We were home by 10:45, just in time to watch the big ball drop in NYC. We are such the party animals. Middle Prince Matthew had a friend over to spend the night. When we arrived home they reported that 8 yr old Prince Christopher was snug in his bed sound asleep. Good, I thought. He had been staying up way past his bedtime over the break and had become increasingly surly since Christmas.

As Central time midnight drew near Prince Matthew and accomplice asked for pots and pans to bang while they ran up and down the street. I gave them an old pot (not the Christmas gift Calphalon!) and a mixing bowl and they went on to ring in the new year, much to the chagrin of all our neighbors. At least they didn’t shoot guns into the air like others. (When will people figure out that what goes up, must come down? “Gee Bob, sorry that bullet is now lodged in your head. Happy New Year anyway.”

The boys looked like Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

I did have to rent that movie the next day so they would understand why I was yelling, “Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma” at them the rest of the night.

The next morning I staggered downstairs and wished Prince Christopher a Happy New Year. He looked at me, smiling broadly and said, “I just can’t wait to watch the big ball drop with you tonight!”

Crud.

Gathering all the strength I had I managed to squeak out, “Uh, that was last night Sweetie.” Oh the horror. He burst into tears with true intensity. You would have thought I made him watch as I backed over his new Nintendo DS with the minivan. You would have thought that the NFL disbanded. You would have thought year round school was now mandatory. It just didn’t cross my mind to wake him up and now I felt like the world’s worst mom.

After an apology and many hugs he managed to calm down. I told him that he could stay up until midnight that night, I would find the countdown on YouTube and we could have New Year’s Eve on New Year’s day. Thankfully he agreed.

That night after watching the movie he miraculously looked at me and said he was tired and wanted to go to bed. At 10pm. When all is said and done I guess I didn’t scar him too badly. Now is the time to continue to chant my mantra, “I am doing the best that I can, no one can ask more of me than that.”

Let’s start off the year with a boy story from Queen Jenny -

As if Christmas was celebrated long ago, my boys have started hunting Easter eggs in the house today. As only a true mom of sons can I found myself yelling, "Boys! You can not use Mommy's bra as your Easter basket!"

And off we reign for another year!

Queen Linda