How I Messed Up Parenting

We all have bad days as moms.  At the end of any given day, I can easily tick off numerous ways I've messed up (my kids....), running out of fingers and toes to count on.  Most of the time, I call it a successful day if they are clothed, fed, somewhat clean, happy.... And alive...  We can pat ourselves on the back and congratulate each other for making it through another day.

Then are the instances when we mess up royally.  We snap at our kids, say things we later need to apologize for, forget our kids at school (or wonder why they are home early, having forgotten it's only a half day...), rush through the day without reading a treasured book, forget to take time to play with our kids--you know what I'm talking about.  It becomes 'one of those days.'

Oh, and then there are the times we try to "help" and just dig deeper holes, like I did....

As you know, over the past 10 months, we've lost two pets: Gretta, Noah's dog, and Sophie, my cat.  That part is important to the story.

Shawn and I were taking Avery to school the other morning, Shawn having taken the day off to join us for a field trip.  We passed our vet and Avery yelled, "That's where we took Fosie and Gwetta so they could go to heaven!"  Oh geez.

I decided to venture into damage control territory, and just really GOT.  IT.  ALL. WRONG.

"Well Avery, see, sometimes we just take our pets there for shots, or to get better, or just for check ups, like when we take you to your doctor!"

I could hear Shawn yelling at me under his breath, "STOP HELPING!!!  STOP!!!  LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!  SHUT.  UP!!!!!" and giving me looks out the corner of his eye while he tried his best to stay on the road as I messed up parenting.

Naturally, when we arrived at preschool a few minutes later, Avery announced to his teacher that he's going to heaven next time he goes to his doctor.

Yeesh....  Now I have to either hope he will forget this before his next allergist visit, or figure out how to explain it to our doctor....