Friday, January 04, 2008

One the perks of the job

This afternoon Ella was at a playdate and Campbell was down for a nap (he didn't sleep, though), so Lily and I settled down to watch a movie together. I had promised her a movie to make up for the insult of not being invited to the big girls' playtime. I told Lily she could pick any movie she wanted, and of course she selected "Arielthelittlemermaid."

As we snuggled down under the blanket on the sofa, I started thinking about all the stuff that needed to be done - lunch dishes were still on the counter, laundry was waiting in the dryer, work-related e-mails and work tasks were sitting in my in-box. I almost got up to do all those things while Lily was occupied with the movie, but then I remembered that I had promised I would watch the movie WITH her.

That's when it hit me - my primary job is being mommy; it's not being housekeeper or freelancer. Part of my job as mommy, one of the best parts, is spending time with my kids without multi-tasking. So I settled in and watched the movie with Lily. We both dozed off for a little bit in the middle, but it was a great way to spend an hour with her.

My hope is that she won't remember wearing wrinkled clothing or that the dishes weren't always done, but that she will remember the times when we snuggled on the sofa together. I know I will.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen. I frequently remind my husband I didn't quit my job to clean the house, or to do laundry, or to cook; I quit to spend time with my kids. And Lily will remember that; I promise.

hokgardner said...

That is a perfect response! I'll use it the next time there's a comment about the state of the house or the quality of meals. : )

Family Adventure said...

So simple, but so easy to forget, isn't it?! I'm glad you remembered in time! :)

Heidi

Damsel said...

You bet she'll remember the quality time with you!! :) Even if she doesn't remember as much, YOU remembering it is just as important.