I spend a lot of time eavesdropping on the conversations of the other parents in my kids’ classes. I try to participate when I have something pertinent to add, but the conversations are often about things I don’t have much to say about:
- tanning
- jeans
- PTA meetings
All three topics about which I quickly find myself in over my head. So I mostly listen, and nod at what seems like appropriate intervals.
This week, the topic was Spring Break. Some parents are working, and the kids will go to day camp. Others have trips planned like Legoland and Sea World, happy little family bonding experiences. I, on the other hand, am abandoning the family to their own devices to venture into the bloodthirsty clutches of one of the most wild areas of the world in order to do surgery in the company of fire ants and watch people selling barbecued tree maggots on a floating open air market. The other parents have shunned me.
I live in fear of getting eaten on the trip, not only because I don’t wish to be messily devoured, but because I worry about my kids needing to explain that for the rest of their lives: My mom took off on our spring break and got eaten by a crocodile….What? Legoland? I know, I don’t get it either. Despite the fact that 99% of my life is spent (willingly) in servitude to the family, that one percent I retain for myself keeps needling me with a persistent and irritating sense of guilt.
The kids packed their bags for Grandma’s house 3 days ago. To say they are devastated over my departure would be a bit of a major falsehood. I explained to my daughter today about tarantulas, and she agrees that she is probably not ready to accompany me on this sort of expedition. “Maybe next time, Mom,” she cheerily agreed as she packed her snorkel and tarantula-free suitcase.
I hope that I come back. Wait, the sentence wasn’t supposed to end there. I hope that I come back with some amazing stories to tell that open my kids’ eyes to the huge myriad beautiful world out there beyond the safe and comfortable confines of our suburb. I hope they will be able to understand that we are so fortunate to have the life that we do, when so many others do not.
I hope they learn that it’s a good thing to push those boundaries, to venture out and to explore. That it’s OK to be scared of things that are unknown, big, and poisonous, but you should go look at them anyway. Most of the time they aren’t as bad as you think, and those things that are worse only make you appreciate what you have all that much more.
I look at my kids, both of them but especially my daughter, and I hope she remembers this: When she was 7, her mom left them all for a couple of weeks to go all by herself to the Amazon to help some animals, because she could. And I hope she thinks in time that that was pretty cool.
On a trip my husband and I took to Costa Rica years ago, we spent hours watching the different animals playing in the treetops. In one, a sloth rested comfortably. Sloths can spend their entire lives in one tree, venturing down only rarely to use the bathroom. They seemed plenty happy, although I’ll admit in three hours all I saw them do was wiggle one toe.
In another, a pair of capuchins vaulted from one branch to another at breakneck speed. They stole a sandwich from a guy on the beach, then threw nuts at him when he gave chase. They came over and cocked their necks at me, before tearing off in search of more mischief and mayhem.
Guess who had more fun.
Don’t forget to take lots of pictures! (Even if they are blurry running away from wild animal pictures). And the perils of being a mommy is bearing the guilt when you take time for yourself. It gets easier as they get older, especially when you are lucky enough to have grandparents whom they adore.
You are setting a lovely example for those children. And you will grow personally from the experience, which will benefit your family too. Have fun!
I agree with Peggy. You are teaching a value about what has meaning for you: helping others. And your/their stories will be much more interesting.
Any chance you can convert the Brody-cam to a Dr. V-cam? I’m sure hilarity would ensue :)-
Babci will be your wings, watching for anything that dares to try and drop on you from above. Your family will be in your heart, keeping you strong. And you, my dear, will be in your head, which will keep you safest of all. I am so proud of you for having this grand adventure out where NATURE lives. HAVE FUN!
You are definitely teaching your children more than you even realize at this point…that the world is bigger than we think it is, that life is an adventure, that doing good for others is important, and that they should take those rare chances that come their way in life, because they’ll be better for it, etc. One day, when they’re explaining to their own children why they can’t go to Legoland or some other animal theme-park, they’ll cite your example and know that you were right 🙂
Sheesh, and here I was bragging to friends that I had survived my first flight in 15 years, 2 hours away from home, and my souvenier was a raging head cold. 😀 I can’t WAIT for the tale of your trip!
Best wishes on your journey to the Amazon. I know it will be the most amazing of experiences that only YOU can tell us all about in an eloquent and humorous way!
Hi Y’all,
You want fire ants, you don’t have to go to the Amazon! Just come visit any of us here in the southeast or deep south. We’ll show you fire ants with hills that look like the rocky mountains. They make fleas look friendly.
Oh, and don’t forget to bring the SMELLS back for Hawk aka BrownDog.
Have a wonderful trip.
BrownDog’s Momma
And don’t worry, soon your kids won’t have time for you…then you can blame it on taking a trip to the Amazon when they were young. However, your poor husband can only blame it on, who else, you…their MOTHER took a trip to the Amazon when they were young!
I agree with those who have said you are setting a wonderful example for your kids. You don’t want your daughter to think moms never take time for yourself, and you surely don’t want your son growing up thinking that women never do!
Very important for us to have lives, so that the next generation of women will have them, too!
I’m in agreement with others here. How you treat yourself is just as important an example as how you treat your children.