Nia and Nico and their baby brother Josiah had a Mommy who loved them very much, but most days they drove her bonkers!
Mommy, I just spilled my milk!
Mommy, Nico just peed his pants!
Mommy, the dog just ate my peanut butter and jelly!
Mommy, I need a wipe!
Mommy, Josiah just spit up his lunch on the carpet!
Mommy, Nia snatched my train!
Mommy, the dog's tail is stuck in the dust buster!
Morning, noon and night they inundated her with thousands of questions always starting with the same three words...Why can't I? When their mommy woke up in the morning, she had every intention of being a good mommy, and lovingly guiding, teaching and correcting her children. But as the day wore long, her patience for these questions wore shorter and shorter.
Why can't I... swallow the toothpaste?
“Because toothpaste has fluoride in it. Fluoride helps keep your teeth strong so the sugar bugs can't make cavities. However, too much fluoride can make you sick, so we don't swallow it, we spit it out.”
Why can't I... have ketchup on my waffles?
“Because ketchup has too much sugar in it... Here, have some syrup instead.” :)
Why can't I... play the piano now?
“Because the baby is sleeping..”
Why can't I... wear flip flops today?
“Because you'll freeze.”
By mid-afternoon, their mommy gave up on trying to come up with intelligent-sounding answers to the questions asked by Nia and Nico and their babty brother Josiah. So for the rest of the day she used the phrase, “Because I said so.”
Why can't I... paint the dog's toenails?
“Because I said so.”
Why can't I... have marshmallows for snack?
“Because I said so.”
Why can't I... do ballet on the coffee table?
“Because I am the mom and I said so.”
Why can't I... sit on Josiah's neck?
“Because I said so.”
Nia and Nico and their baby brother Josiah usually weren't satisfied with, “Because I said so.” And so they would sometimes grumble, “Hmph! I can't wait until Daddy gets home!” Weary from her long day of kid-wrangling, their mommy was apt to whisper under her breath, “Neither can I.”
At six o' clock, Daddy would walk in the door, and from then on it was a whirlwind of activity. First was dinner, then dishes, walking the dog, a bath, pajamas, teeth brushing, books, prayers, and finally off to sleep. (Hopefully.)
With Nia and Nico and their baby brother Josiah all tucked in for the night, their mommy put a load of laundry in the washing machine, took some chicken out of the freezer for the next day's supper, brushed her teeth, and then sleepily stumbled into bed. Her mind raced through the day. The whining, the complaining, the accidents, the injuries, the fighting, the biting, the tears...
She sighed as she looked over at her nightstand where there was a picture of Nia and Nico and their baby brother Josiah. All of a sudden an unplanned grin broke out on her face. The picture of her smiling kids made her remember the laughing, the sharing, the kisses, the hugs, and the “pleases” and “thank you's” that were also a part of the day.
As she turned off the light, she said her own bedtime prayer . She prayed that she could be a better mom the next day... even though she knew that Nia, Nico and their baby brother Josiah would almost definitely drive her bonkers.
