I can bet you that the amount of times my kids say the word “mommy” is more than average. They say the word mommy before and after each sentence like a respectable individual would say please and thank you.
Today I took my kids on a bike ride. As expected I heard my name being called. I answered and tried to help the child out. But soon I realized that they weren’t always asking me for something. They were just saying my name as part of their conversations countless times a minute.
The issue is when I hear the word “mommy” it gives me a sense of duty like something happened and I need to deal with it. How many times can a competent Mother feel like she’s on call throughout the day? How is it possible to have your senses heightened all the time and still be sane?
In all fairness I am writing this on the last week of the summer. The kids are home. It’s hot outside and the days are long. But how can saying the word “mommy” countless times a minute help? I just can’t seem to figure it out!!!!
As I process these thoughts and try to find my equilibrium I hear the phone ring. Whenever I see a strange number I know to answer quickly as it’s probably my teenager calling from a random person’s phone as he lost his own phone a while back.
Let’s preface that sometimes I feel like a senior in a retirement home staring at the dial up phone waiting to hear it ring. I wait for my teenagers to call. So I answer the phone, “Hello it’s Mendel. “ There is no beginning and no end to this sentence.
I don’t hear the word mommy. I just hear a teenager reaching out and telling me he’s here. Perhaps because he said the word mommy far too many times when he was younger he now has the confidence to be an independent confident teen. And as I ponder this thought… I hear my name being called out yet again. Mommy!!!!!