Friday, May 21, 2010

Tell us more

Tonight I got to go out with just my oldest 3 to see a Stage production of Little Shop of Horrors. We had a ton of fun, and the production was super. However the highlight of the evening for the kids may have been some fun we had at dinner. I started using some of my conversation starters that I looked up the other night. The kids loved it and kept wanting me to ask them more questions and then began to want me to answer questions from them too. When we got to the topic of my childhood, the kids were all ears for my stories of what I remembered about Kindergarten, Preschool etc... They laughed hysterically as I told them about my 1st grade teacher who was elderly and misunderstood what we were saying all the time. They teased me about stuff I told them I did when I was their ages. When our food came, I wanted to eat and stop chatting so much and they wouldn't have it. "More stories! More memories!" I threw them a couple more bones then insisted I couldn't remember anything else. Why do they love hearing about their parents' past sooooooo much? I have a theory. I think it helps them begin to believe even a little bit that just perhaps it might be possible for their parents to maybe identify with them even a tiny amount. They like realizing that their parents are human too. That we made mistakes, got made fun of and had hard teachers along the way, and are still living and breathing to tell about it. I'm sure as they get in trouble for talking in class, (or in Jack's case, talking in a foreign accent in class), or forget their homework sheet, or are picked last for kick ball, they may be able to deal with it a little better knowing their parents (who to them are still pretty cool right now) made it through just fine. I guess while I am still a few years from being a complete embarrassment to them, I will start telling them stories about how I never drank alcohol and was completely revered for it. How I cleaned my room every day and how my peers were extremely impressed by that. How I loved to help my mom out around the house. And then perhaps they will somewhat subliminally begin taking on these characteristics themselves. Tonight I am thankful I could remember some funny stuff to relay to the kids. And I am thankful for the great time spent with the kids by me and the great time Pete and Ben and Charlie got to enjoy tonight playing at the mall. I am also thankful lightning didn't strike me dead as I relayed those little white lies in the last paragraph ; )

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