Stop, Drop and Blog

Due to circumstances beyond my control (read: snow), the boys had to go to work with me last night. I had to shoot a girls’ basketball game at a local high school. I’ve taken them with me on various events before, but I felt this unhappy, nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Kids are unpredictable, of course. Mine are no different. I had the normal questions of any parent going anywhere in public with their children: Will they behave? Will they argue/fight? Will they whine? Will they whine incessantly? Will they dart out into snowy traffic while we get out of the car? Will they run out into the basketball court and yell, “HEY PRETTY GIRL! CAN I PLAY TOO?!” Will they poke each other in the eye? Will they randomly choose this place and time to pull a cuss word from under their hat? Will they cry? Will they scream? Will they melt on the floor in Epic Tantrum Proportions? Will they embarrass me? Or themselves? Will I get anything done?

Sometimes I forget that, at their core, my kids are pretty good kids. They’re not perfect. In fact, LittleBrother did poke BigBrother in the eye with his Leapster “pen.” There was some minimal whining, but it lasted less than a minute total. (I know, right?) And the best part?

They had a good time.

And, shockingly, so did I.

LittleBrother is beyond exhausted today, the both of them having been up two hours past their bedtime last night. And I may be excited to be going to work sans-children this evening. But, I’ve got to say, I’m glad they came with me last night. The Big Long Winter months drive us all a little batty with one another; the arguing, the fighting, the aforementioned eye-poking. I begin to question myself and doubt my parenting ability. I needed a reminder that we’re all just a little Stir Crazy, but we will survive the winter with our sanity — and manners — in tact.