Recently, my grandmother had to have surgery that would require a couple weeks of recovery. My mother started back her job at the local high school and I was left with a seven-year-old and a three-year-old sister to contend with from 8 to 3 every day (barring school days). It’s not like I haven’t helped take care of my sisters before. I’ve made McDonald’s runs, I’ve babysat for a couple hours, and I would consider myself to be fairly adept at handling the two divas, but I was NOT prepared for my week of playing “Mom”.
I had another two weeks before my college semester began, so I was more than willing to volunteer taking on some extra responsibilities. I figured you get ‘em up, then you’d take them where they need to be and drop them off. Then I’d have some time in between for guitar and TV. I didn’t know that when a little girl wakes up and her mother leaves, she’s gonna carry around a picture of her mother everywhere you go that day. I didn’t know, that when you help your sister change into her clothes for the day, a ponytail being pulled by the shirt can become a painful experience and lead to a matter-of-factly, “Bub, no one changes clothes without taking the ponytail out first”. I also didn’t know that dropping your sister off at school would hit you in the gut and hurt as much as a bad plate of Mexican food.
As the week (roughly a week and a half if we’re being exact) went on, I learned a lot about myself and my sisters. First, I am not patient. Second, they are less patient. I found myself dreading dropping the youngest one off at school because she cried the first two days, but on the third when she walked in and let my hand go tear-free, the walk back to my car felt like a somber marathon. Between fighting over whether Oreos are a suitable food for lunch and watching reruns of the “Singing Bee” on CMT betting pennies on who would win, I realized I want kids, I just want kids a long, long, time from now.
Between the morning drama (why is there always SO MUCH drama with little girls?!?!) and the fights between the two (because, even playing beside each other and not speaking can turn into World War Sisters in seconds), I’ve gained so much appreciation for my parents and parents worldwide. I’ve also realized that playing “mom” is about as easy as putting a square peg into a round hole. The best part of the whole week was when my three-year-old sister remarked to her Granny and Mom, “Dalton puts my hair in a ponytail and it doesn’t hurt now! He’s better than you two!” now I can’t say whether that was her rewarding my effort or if I have miraculously become a master hair stylist, but I know it made my day and if you let them, sisters and brothers will do that everyday.
I had another two weeks before my college semester began, so I was more than willing to volunteer taking on some extra responsibilities. I figured you get ‘em up, then you’d take them where they need to be and drop them off. Then I’d have some time in between for guitar and TV. I didn’t know that when a little girl wakes up and her mother leaves, she’s gonna carry around a picture of her mother everywhere you go that day. I didn’t know, that when you help your sister change into her clothes for the day, a ponytail being pulled by the shirt can become a painful experience and lead to a matter-of-factly, “Bub, no one changes clothes without taking the ponytail out first”. I also didn’t know that dropping your sister off at school would hit you in the gut and hurt as much as a bad plate of Mexican food.
As the week (roughly a week and a half if we’re being exact) went on, I learned a lot about myself and my sisters. First, I am not patient. Second, they are less patient. I found myself dreading dropping the youngest one off at school because she cried the first two days, but on the third when she walked in and let my hand go tear-free, the walk back to my car felt like a somber marathon. Between fighting over whether Oreos are a suitable food for lunch and watching reruns of the “Singing Bee” on CMT betting pennies on who would win, I realized I want kids, I just want kids a long, long, time from now.
Between the morning drama (why is there always SO MUCH drama with little girls?!?!) and the fights between the two (because, even playing beside each other and not speaking can turn into World War Sisters in seconds), I’ve gained so much appreciation for my parents and parents worldwide. I’ve also realized that playing “mom” is about as easy as putting a square peg into a round hole. The best part of the whole week was when my three-year-old sister remarked to her Granny and Mom, “Dalton puts my hair in a ponytail and it doesn’t hurt now! He’s better than you two!” now I can’t say whether that was her rewarding my effort or if I have miraculously become a master hair stylist, but I know it made my day and if you let them, sisters and brothers will do that everyday.