Ahhh the Silence

I just came back from 4hrs at the Fantasy Fair with the children. They were both invited to attend a birthday party. Those of you with children can relate to the fact that a Saturday afternoon at the Fantasy Fair with two kids was just insane. Don't get me wrong, they had an absolute blast, and I'm glad we went, and I'm glad I took them, but man, the sound of hundreds of children screaming on rides is still ringing in my ears. I'm here at home (finally) and am trying to convince myself to get my butt to the gym, but I really just want a nap. The kids wanted a snack so I busted out some pineapples and mangos, and they are sitting here at the table gobbling away as I type. Silence can sometimes be just so golden. God bless this moment. Thank God for mangos. Thank God for the silence. Thank God for Advil...I think I'm going to need 3...

So anyways, I have to get these monkeys changed so we can go over to Mich's place for a playdate/BBQ. We were supposed to go there yesterday, but they ended up coming here, so it's all good. The kids will run buck wild in her backyard and Mich and I will get quiet time. Everyone wins. :-)

It's funny- from a parenting perspective, I have moments where I can hold my own, and moments where I feel like I could do better. When we got to the fair, I sat the kids down (my 2 kids and my friends' 2 kids- 4 in total- yes I'm certifiably insane), and gave them the "rules" - no hitting, yelling, screaming, no letting go of my hand, no complaining and no whining. When they agreed to the rules, I said "ok, let's have fun". Another parent commented "oh come on- what rules, kids don't get that"...And I said- "watch and see".

Four hours later, while other parents were yelling at their kids and their kids were throwing tantrums, I looked at the 4 that were with me, still smiling, still holding hands, no fighting. I felt like, 'yeah, I can do this- please- make fun of my rules again'. Children just need structure and boundaries, and then they are ok. I'm not saying I'm a perfect parent, in fact, I'm probably far from it, but some days, I just feel like I got it right. This was one of those days.

And now for the Advil....ahhhh....Advil :-)