“Mom,” Itch said as he entered the kitchen. “I really, really want this 8th book in the 39 Clues book series. I’ve read the other 7 and its ONLY $9.99 if you order it from school” he said while waving a Scholastic book order form around.
It’s Monday. It’s 8:10 in the morning. I have two other kids looking hungrily at me. I’ve agreed to drive them because I have to drop off a bag of clothes and costumes that I’ve been busy assembling for use in their big upcoming school musical.
I’m feeling stretched and he’s throwing yet another something at me. Frustration races through my veins as I stand waiting for the toast to pop.
“Mom. Just come here for a minute and read the description of the book. It’s totally awesome.”
I mentioned it was Monday morning, right?
“Itch. I don’t have a minute. I don’t have 10 seconds. It’s ‘awesome’ for YOU but for ME, it’s just another thing I have to do. And I’m running on overload around here. You guys are sitting there like bumps while I make your breakfast. And in between toast popping and milk pouring and listening to blabbering about who wants peanut butter AND jam and who will die if jam even comes close to landing on their toast, I’m also picking fallen jackets up off the floor, finding matching socks and putting the lunches together.”
I motion to the counter and the three separate piles. “One guy likes apple juice not fruit punch; the other guy will throw his sandwich in the garbage if there is butter on it and I’m smack dab in the middle of my daily struggle to strike a balance between the evil pre-packed snacks and fruit and sliced cucumbers.”
“You guys just don’t get it. There is not enough time in a day. Not only do I carry your laundry hampers downstairs, wash the clothes, dry the clothes, carry them back up, fold them AND put everyone’s clothes away, lately I’ve been having to waste time searching for the dirty clothes – under beds, shoved into drawers, in the closet – its ridiculous.”
“I throw out empty wrappers left on the counter. And, correct me if I’m wrong, I seem to be the only one capable of putting a glass into the sink LET ALONE loading it into the dishwasher.”
“The floor needs to be swept – I’ll end up doing it. I’ve been asking for a week if you would each go through this stack of papers on the table and throw out what needs to be thrown out but I guess I’ll end up doing that, too. And, if you can believe THIS, I found half drank water bottles left by the sink. Are all of you SO LAZY that you can’t even dump out the water from your own drinking bottles???? Do you think someone is going to follow you around and pick up after you FOR YOUR WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE!?”
“Itchy! You might really, really want that book but you leaving the sheet there waiting for me to read the description is JUST GIVING ME ONE MORE THING TO DO!!” Ahhhhhhhh.
After wiping the last bit of spit off my lip, I look towards my three boys for some sign, some glimmer, of understanding…
Itch looked at me wide eyed. “Maybe I could read the book description out loud to you.”