Since The Dad is a morning person and an early riser and he works out of town, he's long-gone before we're even hitting snooze (for the first time). So all the morning necessities fall on me. And one thing that apparently the rest of my family feels like is a necessity is breakfast.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Most important meal of the day, blah, blah, blah.
I have been able to convince The Daughters that by letting them fix their own breakfast they are doing things that even teenagers aren't able to do. What? Some teenagers can't do it! Ask any momma of a teenager!
This year, with The Daughters fixing their own breakfasts, the mornings have been a little less hectic. Please understand, before you start flaming me about allowing children to cook on their own, that Daughter 1 fixes her breakfast by popping something in the toaster and Daughter 2 fixes her breakfast by pouring cereal into a bowl and covering it with milk. It's not Rachael Ray, sure! But it's not me doing it either, so there!
The Daughters, after they finish eating, will put their dishes into the sink and I will - if I have time - load the dishwasher with the morning dishes and start it if it's full. If it's a crazy morning, I will wait and load the dishwasher after school. It's all about having a routine.
It was on such a crazy morning, that I started the dishwasher before The Daughters were finished eating. I told them to just set their items in the sink.
After school, I came home, unloaded the dishwasher and loaded a fork and a plate in the dishwasher.
The next morning was the same thing. I started the dishwasher too early. The Daughters should just place their things in the sink. After school, I loaded a fork and a plate.
And, day three was no different. After school, I only loaded a fork and a plate. It was on this day that I realized I was only doing one set of breakfast dishes but I had two Daughters! (I hear ya! Yes, it did take me three days to figure this out. I do not do mornings very well, I told ya!)
Since I had been loading a plate and fork, I knew that Daughter 1 had been eating dinner so I called to Daughter 2.
"Why haven't you been eating breakfast?" I asked her.
"I have, Momma. Cereal every morning," she countered.
"No," I chuckled to let her know that she wasn't in trouble and because I felt like I had finally figured out this momma-gig, "I've noticed that you haven't been putting your cereal bowl and spoon in the sink, Honey."
"Oh that!" she said. "Well, I know that you're busy and tired, so I have been doing my own breakfast dishes and putting them away!" And with that, she wrapped her little arms around me my waist and then skipped away. Seriously. She skipped away.
What a sweet kid. I was such a lucky momma to have such a thoughtful child!
Later that evening at dinner, I bragged on her thinking that the good words would make her want to continue doing her morning good deeds and would perhaps inspire her sister to wash her own dishes too! She grinned at her family and when we were done, she proudly announced that I wouldn't have to worry about doing her dinner dishes either, "I'll do them myself, Momma!"
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| I'll bet this little post cuts down on the number of guests at our dinner parties! |
Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?
