Much Ado About Nothing

Our youngest was recently asked by an adult if her mother was a teacher, and this was her reply: “No, my mom doesn’t do anything.”

In typical children’s timing, I believe this was one of those days when I was about to fall on my face from exhaustion. And I really should feel A LOT more rested if I am, in fact, doing nothing.

Fortunately, the woman who posed the question was also a mother of a young child and smiled knowingly when relaying the story to me…so I didn’t feel the need to defensively justify what I do for our family. She knew that sitting around and eating bonbons was probably not something I enjoyed on a regular basis – or ever.

It’s also fortunate that I am far less sensitive with my kids than I am in other areas of my life. Otherwise, I might become embittered and have wrinkles and gray hair to show for it. Wait! I DO have wrinkles and gray hair. Now I’m depressed…and a little embittered.

Anyway, kids are funny. They can watch you run around in circles all day, every day as you clean, cook, do laundry, run errands and manage the household – and STILL classify that as “doing nothing.” They don’t realize that all that nothingness stocks groceries in the kitchen, provides clean clothes for them to wear, puts meals on their table, picks up their toys strewn throughout the house, arranges their social activities, and gives them a comfortable and secure home.

But that’s just a five-year-old’s perspective for you. It wasn’t meant to be mean or unappreciative. It was just a simple answer to a simple question.

Maybe when she grows up and has children of her own, she’ll understand just how hard you have to work to make it look like you’re not doing anything.