In addition to my oldest who is 22, engaged to be married, and a sweet, beautiful girl who already knows practically EVERYTHING and only needs her mother in times of crisis, I also have 14 year old twins, females. They need their mom for money, that's a laugh, and a ride. One is blonde and has blue eyes while the other is more like her mother and oldest sister, brown hair and brown eyes. Anyway, the brown one proudly handed me my Mother's Day card last Sunday. It had about 5 stick figures jumping off a bridge and one lone stick figure standing safely on the side looking down at the others. The inside said, "See, and you thought I wasn't listening." Not only did it fit her personality perfectly, she has quite a sense of humor, it also mirrors our relationship in a a lot of ways.
I have a difficult time discerning the difference between the times when my kids are listening, however reluctantly, and when they are rolling their eyes behind me just waiting for me to shut up my endless speech on subjects for which I'm hardly qualified to have an opinion, let alone speak. What's more, the times I grow some and decide to speak up regardless of the blonde one's overwhelming disgust at my completely uneducated comments, I get the ever eternal, older than God, Why.
Why can be followed by any number of phrases and such. One of my most interesting, yet confusing 'why's came to me like this "So, why HAVEN"T you ever ridden an alpaca?" It was asked in the most accusatory fashion and I found myself feeling downright guilty for not seeking out an alpaca in the middle of the soybean and cotton fields in my back yard and riding the damn thing. Never mind I've yet to see one that is ridable, rideable, able to be ridden (i.e. not in a zoo or on tv, etc), the guilt can be paralyzing.
Not counting the gajillion 'why's I asked my own folks, I have been the recipient of at least that many as a parent, if not more. I swore growing up that I would never insult and dismiss my own children's honest and sincere questions with the insulting and dismissive response I received from my own mom: BISS.TW (Because I said so. That's why). For the most part I've followed that vow. I just tweaked it a little and answered my sweet babies inquisitive natures with IDHTGUAW (I don't have to give you a why.) So much more respectful and affirming, don't ya think?
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