Just so we can start this post off right, I’m going to tell you that this has nothing to do with etiquette – unless you consider it rude to wake up your mother exactly 4 times before her alarm clock goes off. Ok then, so, yes, this is ALL about etiquette.
10:40 pm Turned off light. Burrowed down into my favorite I’m-falling-asleep-now position wearing my new pajamas. Mother’s Day gift. Very sweet. Until Ben brought it to my attention that the size label read ‘M/L’ and laughed out loud and too long about it.
1:27 am Was startled awake for the first time. Ben was walking through our bedroom to use our bathroom. Because there isn’t one about 4 steps from his own bedroom door.
1:29 am Was startled awake for the second time. Ben was calling from the bathroom. “My stomach hurts”, he said. Now, I’m not a vindictive person, but I couldn’t help but think that God had heard him laugh at my pajama size on Mother’s Day.
6:20 am Was startled awake for the third time by a loud stage whisper over me to The Hubs: “Dad! It’s almost 6:30!” It’s Emma this time. Showered and dressed, of course. She gets up at 5:30 am and tries not to be perturbed that I don’t budge until 6:45. She thought The Hubs was oversleeping. That word doesn’t cross my mind til 7:20.
6:30 am Was startled awake for the fourth time. There were no sounds this time. Emma was just standing beside the bed. Quietly. Standing. Waiting for me to notice. You know how you can just feel a presence when you’re sleeping? And then it scares you to death to find that presence standing beside the bed just 6 inches from your wildly beating heart? Yeah, that’s how I woke up this last time. “Mom, can you fix my hair?” You know what I said? I said “No. I cannot. I can when I wake up, but I cannot right now.” And I turned over. For the record and my reputation, I ended up French braiding her hair about 19 times before I’d even had my coffee. All in good time.
So, after school today, we are going to review the events of the wee hours of today. Because we need to take a little road trip this afternoon, there will be ample time for me to express my position and to ensure they are made aware of how their actions impact others. I plan to have talking points and I’m not going to rush through them.
Maybe the etiquette portion of this post is in how you responded to your children while under “diress”! Just saying!!!