Lisa's Lines

Kids’ words have a way of making a person feel extra special and oh, so loved...

They also have a special knack for making you feel like pond scum.

In one foul swoop, they combine “I love you” with “you stink at ______.”

My daughters are no longer adorable little ragamuffins in diapers.

Of course, they are still adorable, but they are now independent “big girls,” who feel the need to express their opinions and let me know my place in their world.

It has been rough descent from the world’s best mommy pillar. I did thoroughly enjoy my time there as an all-wonderful, all-needs-fulfilling, can-do-no-wrong mommy. But, alas, my time has come to an end.

I used to make the best spaghetti. Now, my 6-year-old’s friend’s mom does.

I used to draw the best animals. Now, a fifth grader who rides my daughter’s bus is the animal artist.

I used to know everything. Ha. Now, they want me to check Google to make sure I’m right about St. Paul being Minnesota’s state capitol.

And clothing! Oh my goodness... I can no longer pick out clothes for them. Supposedly everything I lay out for them has a “mom look” to it.

Are you kidding me? They are only 4 and 6 years old. I thought I would have a few more years of the Super Mom status... but my reign has ended. It officially fell apart over goulash.

The other day Anna told me she had eaten “the best” lunch at school and requested that I make it at home. I took it as my chance to earn a “best” award. She described it as “macaroni hot dish.” I looked it up on the school’s website and discovered it was a hamburger and macaroni noodle hot dish... something I can totally do! I found a recipe, got all the ingredients, and really talked it up.

“Anna, I’m making your favorite meal tonight!”

“Tonight we’ll be enjoying Anna’s pick--‘macaroni hot dish!’”

I served it up with gusto, but when I set it in front of my family... Anna’s face fell. She was disgusted.

“Mom, why are there TOMATOES in it? And GREEN things?! This is NOT right.”

After some encouragement, my girls tasted my hamburger/macaroni hot dish (otherwise known as goulash). They ate around the green things (cut-up celery) and left the tomato chunks piled on their plates.

The meal ended with a lovely, “Mom, don’t EVER make this again. I’ll just eat it at school.”

Ugh. Score one for the school lunch ladies.

My kids are branching out, trying new things, making new discoveries. It’s good. It’s also difficult and frustrating and sad.

But, I still do hold a few titles... ones I would be happy to hand over. I remain the best finder of all things in our house, and, unfortunately, I’m also the best at laundry, doing dishes, vacuuming, scrubbing toilets, and cleaning the fish bowl. What my children don’t know is that I’m training them to take on these tasks in the future. But, for now... I’m proud to report they’ve achieved a couple on their own.

I used to be the best story teller. Now, my elder daughter reads using “the best” voices and enthusiasm.

And, I used to be the best banana bread baker, but now, my 4-year-old rules all things baking.

So, maybe it isn’t about BEING the best.

Watching and helping your kids do their best is... well... the best.

They’ll make their fair shares of mistakes and bad goulash dishes throughout life, but hopefully they’ll remember to keep trying. I’m not going to give up. I will eventually make “the best” goulash (even if it takes bribing the lunch lady).

It’s all worth the smiles and memories.

They are worth it.

They’ll always be the best in my book.