"Come play, Mommy"

Life is so busy. Craig and I both work full time, there are countless chores to do around the house, errands to run, holidays to prepare for, special events to attend; there aren't enough hours in the day.  Prioritizing is the greatest challenge to parenthood.

 A few weeks ago, we had plans to spend a weekend away to attend a family wedding. I picked Belle up from day care at Nadia's after school that Friday afternoon and raced home to get ready to go away for the rest of the weekend. Belle invited me to play with her in her playroom: "Mommy, come play."  But I had breakfast dishes to wash and lunch bags to clean out. Then, I went upstairs to finish laying out clothing to pack. Belle asked me to stay downstairs to play: "Mommy, downstairs. Play, please."  But I had to pull pajamas, dresses, shoes, toiletries, etc from our drawers to lay them on our bed to pack. Belle climbed the stairs to our bedroom and asked again, "Mommy, come play, please."

I looked at Belle and then at the clothes strewn about our bed and the empty suitcase next to the bed. I could almost hear Harry Chapin's "The Cats in the Cradle" playing in my head. I said to Belle, "you're right, Belle. Let's go play."

I left the suitcase unpacked and followed Belle downstairs and into her playroom. So things wouldn't get packed so neatly. So we'll leave for our weekend destination a little later than we'd planned. So what?

With the revelation came tears...from me. I was so sad to think about all the times I have already and will continue to refuse Belle's invitations to play because I have to work or complete chores.  Belle, in her mature compassion, said, "Mommy's crying. I hug Mommy" and she gave me a hug.

I won't always be able to play with Belle when she wants me to, but there also aren't so many more years when Belle will choose Mommy as her playmate. I will to try to play as often as I can, especially when Belle extends the invitations to play.  Striking the balance between fulfilling responsibilities and enjoying Belle is by far the hardest part of motherhood.