We moved into a trailer park. My Grandpa was my favorite person. I was in love with my sister's boyfriend. I knew he would leave her one day... I hated Lisa Frank backpacks. I lived for TGIF nights with Mom. I wanted to eat Boston Baked beans with my Britt. My best friend was a male stuffed bunny named Lucy. I hated school, so I cheated on tests. My favorite candy was York Peppermint Patties. Life was okay...
...my 11-year-old bossy neighbor finally threw one too many sticks (or stones). When my fist met her mouth, I felt wonderful. When she ran home to her mother, I feared the horrible consequences. When her mother called me over to apologize to her sobbing daughter for her split and bleeding lip, I grudgingly did so and regretted that I hadn't knocked out a tooth, too. I went home feeling a little guilty that I couldn't stop smiling. When my mother came home, she wasn't even mad. (I think she was secretly smiling, too.) The next day, I didn't hear a single mean word. Sometimes, I need to remember that, when we let them, kids find ways to solve their own problems. Their solutions might not be what we, as parents, would suggest, but can I secretly smile when they work?
I looked up and saw my mom but when she looked back at me all she could see was the sob that left her stranded alone to feed these damn kids wihout a penny
We moved into a trailer park.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandpa was my favorite person.
I was in love with my sister's boyfriend. I knew he would leave her one day...
I hated Lisa Frank backpacks.
I lived for TGIF nights with Mom.
I wanted to eat Boston Baked beans with my Britt.
My best friend was a male stuffed bunny named Lucy.
I hated school, so I cheated on tests.
My favorite candy was York Peppermint Patties.
Life was okay...
...my 11-year-old bossy neighbor finally threw one too many sticks (or stones). When my fist met her mouth, I felt wonderful. When she ran home to her mother, I feared the horrible consequences. When her mother called me over to apologize to her sobbing daughter for her split and bleeding lip, I grudgingly did so and regretted that I hadn't knocked out a tooth, too.
ReplyDeleteI went home feeling a little guilty that I couldn't stop smiling. When my mother came home, she wasn't even mad. (I think she was secretly smiling, too.) The next day, I didn't hear a single mean word.
Sometimes, I need to remember that, when we let them, kids find ways to solve their own problems. Their solutions might not be what we, as parents, would suggest, but can I secretly smile when they work?
http://framaurohighlands.blogspot.com/2010/08/and-first-shall-be-last.html
ReplyDeleteIt is about the day I turned 8.
I looked up and saw my mom
ReplyDeletebut when she looked back at me
all she could see
was the sob
that left her stranded
alone to feed these damn kids
wihout a penny