Lazy? Spring Evening

I wish I had had my camera. It would have been fun to catch the evening on the memory card (Is that what you say now, because we're no longer using film?) But if I had had my camera, *I* would have been that much harder to catch every time he tried to dash out of the yard or into the neighbor's house.

We played outside in the glorious spring evening. The Husband and *C* were at baseball practice. *N*, *E* and *I* played with the little boys next door while the mom said over and over, "I don't know how you do it." Honey, neither do I, but I do and evenings like this...remind me why. :)

The boys had a blast playing with footballs and darts (with suction cups not pointy metal tips) and climbed trees. It was good fun (except when *I* made a break for it.) Sometimes I forget that they just need to let loose and be loud and run around and be wild. You'd think I would know this by now, but I'm so used to trying to keep them in line so they don't disturb others, make a scene or otherwise call attention to themselves (and me) that I forget that sometimes they just need to run free.

Yesterday I realized that I have been making a parenting mistake I thought I had conquered. Long ago I made a decision not to parent my children to please others. I want them to be respectful and follow rules, don't get me wrong. My desire to "not stand out" (like we can blend in with 5 boys...unless we're at an all boys school...I'm clearly being delusional) has made me want to reign them in a lot more than is (usually) necessary. I realized yesterday that in my desire to be a "good mom" I was trying to micromanage their behavior in the hope it would reflect positively on me.

Maybe instead, I should give everyone I meet a lesson on self-differentiation (And do a refresher myself) and make t-shirts for the family that read, "I am not a puppet. I make my own choices. Sometimes my parents are proud and sometimes they cringe. That's life."

Yesterday, I was proud of the boys. I only cringed once, I think..maybe twice. I am going to embrace their energy and maybe some of it will rub off. :)

In case you're wondering, no one seems to have been traumatized by the lemon square incident. Well...at least no one woke from a night terror screaming about lemon squares or mommy crying in the kitchen. ;)

I hope you have a glorious day!

-Peace