Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!


Happy Mother’s Day! As her gift to me my mother brought my kids to sleep over her place last night. As my gift to her, I let them go. Seconda already bestowed a gift on me (the best part of Montessori is they force your kids who would never ordinarily waste the time making you something on these holidays to produce very aesthetically pleasing products that you can totally get behind displaying prominently in your house). When I read the inside of her card, I cried. The kid keeps me starved for affection so when she shows me even a small amount, I feel eternally indebted to her. I think she’s preparing me for the teenage years. The card read:

“Mommy,

It is hard to say goodbye to you because I miss you when I am at school.

Love,

Seconda.”

The present I’d really have liked to accompany that card is a voucher for one week (OK, I’ll take a night) of going to bed with no curtain calls. Just straight into the bedroom and see you in the morning. But the card was pretty kick-ass.

And for you readers, I offer a present in the form of this Anna Quindlen essay. If you’ve never read it before, prepare a box of Kleenex. If you have read it, you’ll know to do that without my warning. It really is a beautiful piece, and I’m grateful for the way it always brings the daily trials and tribulations of parenting young kids into perspective.