1. I was faced with a full week of work for the first time in I don't know how long, so I didn't know how I was going to make it. (Waah, waah, the violins are playing from all of you who work their butts off 5 days a week 365 days a year, I know, I know.)
2. I just overall felt like ass, and finally chalked it up to a shitty diet (as in stopping paying attention to what I was eating,) and just not paying attention to my overall health.
Sooo.....I picked my fat ass up off the bed and made myself do Body by Bethenny's yoga segment. Yes, it was only 20 minutes long, but it was the perfect start that I needed. I don't know how long it had been since I had done a workout that wasn't running after my children. My body needed yoga, was almost craving it, as my bones and muscles were getting cramped thanks to this freezing cold weather. I emerged from my post-workout shower feeling like a new woman, and got out of my funk, determined to commit to taking better care of myself.
On an unrelated note, I had a moment of enlightenment this week regarding parenting. It came to me around 7:45 on Tuesday morning as I stood out in the freezing cold for my morning duty at school. Johnny once told me that my school's drop off is pretty much like this scene from Mr. Mom. I am pretty much the lady in the yellow rain slicker. Rain or shine, I'm there, with a smile on my face to greet the parents and students for the day. (Did I mention that I'm so cool doing this job that I have fans that take my picture and post them on facebook?)
On this particular morning, I was reminded of the fact that parents are their children's first and most important teachers. Mind-blowing, I know. I went to nicely ask a parent to turn around and not cut off the many parents that went the correct way in line, as I do from time to time, and as I approached the car, the kind gentleman didn't have the courtesy to even roll down his window. So, with my smile plastered on my face, I said loudly that I was sorry, but he'd have to turn around and pointed to where the line formed. With a dirty look, he slammed his car in reverse with his little Kindergartener (?) in the backseat, and drove away. I noticed that he went in the opposite direction of where I had directed him, but thought maybe he was confused. A few moments later, I saw the man walking his kid across in a "no dropoff area." I was really mad. We have rules about this people! I thought back to a few days earlier, when an irate mom screamed at me for being "ridiculous" when I asked her the same simple request. So, with 15 minutes of silence left before my duty was over, I started thinking about the line that I had included on so many letters home to parents over and over (the above line about being their child's first and most important teachers) and started making the connection that I had made before: it's no wonder that some kids act the way they do when they have their parents modeling that type of behavior. My mind quickly jumped to the fabulous parents who thankfully outnumber those like the parents mentioned above, and in the midst of all this deep thought, it struck me-
I blatantly break the law in front of Finnboo and Kieksy ALMOST EVERY DAY!!!
Before you call the cops, let me explain. We have an off street parking spot behind our house that is accessed by an alley. Said alley is one way, but "what's the harm in me making an illegal turn down the one way alley when my spot is 4 feet down the alley?" I always thought. However, I also live by a school, and when the crossing guards are out, or when a policeman happens to be parked in the alley to observe the dismissal, I go around the block like a good, law-abiding citizen. This is so infrequent; however, that Finn actually asks, "Why are you going this way, Mommy?" when I don't make the illegal right turn, and I've told him that I don't want to go the wrong way when the crossing guards are there! As I stood in the cold (did I mention it's cold?) my mouth dropped open in shock: OH MY GOD, not only was I teaching my kids that it's okay to not follow street signs/THE LAW, I was teaching them that it was OKAY AS LONG AS NO ONE WAS WATCHING!!! Gasp! How could I have been so stupid??!!! What about integrity? (Doing the right thing no matter who is watching, for those of you unsure of the kid-friendly definition.) I gathered myself, congratulated my dumb-ass for finally realizing this, and made a pledge to start following the rules.........at least while my kids are in the car, that is! :)
God, parenting is hard, but for all you parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, soon-to-be parents, anyone with children in their lives, remember: kids are ALWAYS watching and listening. And, they will most likely imitate you too! :P
Happy (almost) Friday everyone!
