We, my family and I, are in the midst of the craziness of little league baseball season. Which just compounds the chaos of the already busy life of this mompreneur.
But the other night, we had a ‘double-header’, watching our 9 year old play a game at 6pm and racing to our 12 year old’s game at 8pm, which brought us home after 10pm on a school night. My 9 year old son requested something and my response brought tears to my eyes.
He asked simply enough if I would sing to him before he went to sleep. This has been a routine since all 3 boys were infants and has gone by the way side in past years mostly for my oldest (too cool for mommy to sing maybe?). But lately I’d noticed that my 9 year old only asks for pre-slumber songs here and there, now.
In my haste to scramble everyone to bed quickly and get back downstairs and begin my own sleep prep (clothes, shoes, jewelery and makeup removal, you know the drill) I sighed a heavy sigh (which clearly showed my frustration) and refused, telling him it was late and he needed to get to sleep. (And I’m sure there was some TIVO to catch up on).
Once downstairs a heavy heart settled within me. I got a sick feeling in my throat and tears began to well up. Did I really just refuse the simple comfort of a 30 second song to a little boy who has been teetering away from those requests altogether? It dawned on me that there will be a day in the not so distant future when he will never ask again. And I will say to him, “Do you want me to sing tonight?” And he will look at me as though I have 3 heads and am speaking a foreign language and tell me ‘No way’ and that will be the end of those tender moments…Forever!
I rushed back up only to find the beautiful young lad in a peaceful slumber already. A completely missed opportunity, closeness slipping through my fingers.
The next morning before breakfast I called him to me, gave him a big hug, and told him I would never again be too busy or tired to sing him a bedtime song for as long as he wanted me to do so.
And so with this humble confession, I implore to you recognize what matters most in the sometimes gargantuan craze of our business/professional/familial/personal lives; the subtle tender moments spent with our children, embracing their youth and innocence.
Have a great day!
You don’t know how many times I have felt bad for something I put off or said to the kids. I applaud you for catching yourself do it and for talking to your son. My oldest, Jonathan is 10 years old and he likes for me to scratch his back while I talk to him about his day when it’s time to go to sleep. It’s hard because as moms we have a millions things to do and/or think about, but as moms we are not afraid to say we were wrong, apologize and love on our boys. They will always be our babies…I hope he keeps asking me to scratch his back and your son for you to sing to him. I anticipate a lot of singing for you! xoxoxox
Great blog