The Greatest Compliment

Bug gave me the best compliment this morning. It all started yesterday evening when I picked him up from afterschool and found out that he hadn't done his homework. The kids have an hour to work on their homework and I've told Bug on a number of occasions that he needs to take advantage of that time and get his homework done so that he can play when we get home. Yesterday, he made the decision to not do his homework. On the way home, I explained to him again how it benefits him to get his homework done. I asked him what he did for the hour that everybody else was doing homework and he told me that he read a book. I started to feel a little guilty for giving him such a hard time ... so what?!?? He didn't do his spelling and math but he'd at least read. That would be one thing checked of the list, right? WRONG!!! He did read ... just not his reading book. Ugh ...

We got home and he sat down at the table and worked on his homework while I cooked dinner. After dinner, I gave the boys a bath and got ready to leave for my rehearsal at church. As I was walking out the door, I reminded Bug to read before he went to bed. I called Hubby on my way home from rehearsal and asked him how much Bug read. His response ... "He didn't read anything. I didn't know he had to." Sigh ...

So, at 5:30 this morning, I flipped on Bug's light, pulled the covers back and wiped his face down with a cold wash rag. Bug sat up and commented on how it couldn't be time to get up because his alarm hadn't gone off. I explained to him that it was 5:30 and he had to get up and read since he chose not to do it last night. So, this morning, I started off hearing the best compliment a mother could ever hear. Are you ready??

"MOM ... YOU'RE SO MEAN!!!"

Thank you Bug. I love you!!! I can remember saying the same words to my mom and it would irritate me to no end when she would just simply say "thank you". I remember thinking "I'm not giving you a compliment, stupid." It wasn't until I became a mother that I fully understood just how complimentary that actually is. That means I'm doing my job. Afterall, I only have one shot at this parenting thing. I don't intend to fail!!