Buying Games and Buying Time

Sometimes I'm a sucker. I try not to be. I try to keep my guard up. My eyes open. Consider everything and then come to an educated decision.

This morning before I left for work, my sweet Ben was in a blue mood. So what did his mom do? Well, I talked to him to try and make him feel better. I gave him my best advice. My deepest concern. My outright compassion. But I couldn't get "that look" out of his eyes with my 'words of wisdom'. Enter Plan B.

"I'll take you to Blockbuster when I get home and you can rent that game you've been asking for all week."

"REALLY MOM?! You're the best! Thank you so much!"

Why in the world couldn't I come up with the right words? I'd been trumped by an XBox game.

Or so I thought.

After work, I kept my word and took them both to rent a game (bonus for mom, because it came with 2 free movie rentals. Score!). He thanked me. As usual. He hugged me. As usual. Then...

"Mom. Thank you for always knowing what to do to make me smile. This morning when I was sad, I heard you but I just couldn't get happy. I really do love you sooooooo much."

:::gulp:::

I told my sweet first-born that it was no problem. I know it wasn't something they teach you to do in all the "how to parent the correct way" books, but it took his mind of what was making him sad long enough to give him something else to do. For awhile. And that's all I was going for. Just some smiles.

So yes...sometimes I'm a sucker. And other times I'm a desperate mom who is just trying her best. Perfect? Not a chance. Not in this lifetime. But my babies are going to experience so many disappointments in their life, it's up to me to show them how to cope and make it through to the other side. NO. I uderstand completely the answer is not renting a game from Blockbuster. Actually, maybe it is. It bought me a little time to think of the right words to say to make them feel like they are the most awesome kids on this planet.