What Moms Really Want

In spite of the fact that I have a house full of kids, I don't think the idea that I'm a mother has fully sunk in yet. In my mind, Mother's Day is reserved for celebrating our moms and I kind of forget that it's my day too! That being the case, I think they need to change how Mother's Day is observed. Flowers and cards and chocolates are all well and good, but if you want some advice from the motherhood trenches, here's what we moms really want:

On Mother's Day every mom should be allowed to sleep as late as they want and take as many naps as desired. Mom would be excused from all housework, all diaper changing, all bathing, and wouldn't have to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" even one time. No kiddie videos would be playing in the background and all toys that talk, play music, or have grating sound effects would be mercifully silenced. There would be no grocery shopping, no meal planning, and definitely no kitchen clean up! The laundry would have to wait or, better yet, be sorted, treated for stains, washed, folded, and put away by someone other than Mom. There would be no whining, no tantrums, and no need for "corner time." In fact, all spouses and children should vacate the premises, so Mom can cavort around the house and do wild and crazy things (like sit down for more than five minutes at a time and read more than a page and a half of a book ;).

Of course, although the first 15 minutes in an empty, quiet house would be sheer bliss, Mom would find that the silence would become more and more oppressive and the empty house would feel lonelier and lonelier. She would miss the sound of little feet running across the floor and feel lost without the little hands and faces wanting to examine everything she does. She would miss the silly giggles and the baby laughs and the chubby little arms reaching up to her. Truth be told, she would even miss singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" for the umpteenth time -- after all, where else would her singing ever attract such a devoted following.

What we really want is the very thing we already have -- the best Mother's Day present I could ever have been given was the opportunity to be a mother. And I'm lucky enough to be able to enjoy my present every single day of the year. Nothing can top the happy giggles and exclamations of "Mama!" that I hear as my toddler excitedly wiggles the (baby proofed) doorknob when I come home from work. Nothing can beat the delighted squeals from my baby as she crawls over to me as fast as her little arms and legs can carry her. Never mind the flowers and the cards, you've already given me the very best gift of all -- my children.