My kids and I have a little morning routine. I’ll crawl out of bed, usually removing the foot of a four year old from my lower back, and quietly position myself on the lounge, with a blanket and enjoy the silence that mornings bring.
My kids will somehow, even in their sleep, get a sniff of their mum relaxing and stumble out moments later and join me under the blanket. Because it’s still crazy o’clock {any time between 4am and 5am} we’ll watch some movies on Foxtel, and snuggle in for a little while before we bother getting ready for the school rush.
The other morning, while we were all warm and cosy, an ad came on the TV. It’s the Suncorp one where Shaynna Blaze and the young girl walk into the house while it’s being renovated. I smiled because they did a good job creating the ad. ‘The light in this ad is really great,’ I thought as I pulled the blanket up to my chin, ‘Oh, and look at the swagger that Shaynna has! So cool!’
“Hey mum!,” my smallest child chirped up, “I wish you were more like that mum…”
Dagger to my heart. “Ah why?” I dared to ask.
“Well, her is more fun. You don’t have fun with us.”
I took a moment to prepare my rebuttal, and was quickly interrupted by my ten year old adding to the pain. “Yeah, you really aren’t fun. You drive us places and stuff, but you don’t have fun.”
“Guys,” I pleaded, “I do too have fun. I AM fun. I do lots of things with you. I do.” I just couldn’t remember anything off the top of my head to support my case.
“Anyways… she’s not even her mum! She’s not!”
I was more agitated and hurt than I probably should have been, mostly because I run myself silly trying to be everything to everyone all the time and to hear that they wanted to trade me in for Shaynna… well it kinda hurt. A lot.
As I made dinner that night, I mentioned to Hubby that I hadn’t fared so well in comparison to Shaynna from the kids over our morning movie session. “Well, did your mum ever play with you?” he asked, trying to perk me up, “You don’t have to play with your kids. That’s not what mums are meant to do.”
To be honest, I can’t remember if my mum played with me or not. She was bloody amazing, and loved me… which I guess is what matters most. The thing is, I DO play with my kids, and I have played with my kids {mostly in the 0-2 year stage, but still} I play with them. I’m with them all the time. I’ve played many a pretend tea party, and a gazillion games of UNO. I’ve played. I play.
So, if you need me… I’ll be over here removing the dagger of my heart, and playing dolls… because that’s probably what Shaynna Blaze would do.
Have your kids made you feel shitty lately? Also, do you play with your kids?
{FYI: I feel I should let you know. This post is not sponsored by Suncorp. It was just the ad that my kids KINDLY decided to choose to make me feel a bit shitty about my parenting. Thank you}.
