You're Faking

Today is "not me" Monday. After reading about what I didn't do today, head over to MckMama and read about everyone else's "not me" day!

Today did not start off with the alarm screaming at me, signaling the start of another week. I most certainly did not stay under the covers for 15 more minutes, delaying the inevitable. I wake up every morning feeling refreshed and excited to begin my fun-filled day of domestic responsibilities. I'm perky like that. I'm a freakin' ray of sunshine. So, I woke Ben up for school in my normal cheerful way. What? It could happen. Anyway, when Ben declared that his belly hurt and then proceeded to grab his stomach in anguish in a very obvious and overly dramatic way, I did not say to him "you're faking, you just want to stay home from school today." What kind of mother questions her child's digestion disturbances? Not I. I did not for a split second have this conversation in my half-asleep head: "I guess it would be ok if he stays home just this one time...... plus, it's cold outside...... plus, we could just stay in our pajamas all day" (which would be highly unusual for me, I assure you.) Hmmm, what to do, what to do...... I did not then contemplate my complicated dilemma for 5 minutes, now leaving approximately no more than 12 minutes to get "sick" child ready for school, out the door and make the 10 minute drive to school. I then did not have a second conversation in my very confused head, that did not go something like this: "if he really is "sick" and I send him to school, then I will feel guilty for not believing him...... plus, then I will have to make the 10 minute drive right back to school to pick him up when the school calls and says he just puked all over his desk during a spelling test and, really, that's just a waste of gas and wear and tear on the car...... on top of it, I will have to hear Ben say "I told you I was sick......" Who needs that? Not I. So, after much consideration, I finally decided not to let Ben stay home from school today. And I most certainly did not take advantage of this "sick" day, by plopping "sick" child and his sister (who actually has had a cough for a few days) on the couch. I did not proceed to make them comfy with their favorite blankets and I did not turn on Curious George because when you are "sick", cartoons is not the best medicine. I did not then tell my adorable children that I was going back to bed for a while because I was not tired at all. I did not consider at all forgetting about my domestic responsibilities because that would just be taking advantage of this "sick" day and that's something I just don't do. Taking advantage of a situation, that is. Never. While I was laying down, I did not hear Ben and Ali upstairs in their room jumping on the beds and I did not yell at them to knock it off and go back downstairs and be quiet because Mommy thinks she is getting "sick" and needs to rest. No, I would not do that. I did not hear my children running down the hall downstairs and then I did not hear lots of laughter and lots of splashing water. I also did not get a little upset to discover them in the bathroom, trying to quickly wash off permanent marker and glitter glue, which they had painted all over themselves. I did not tell Ben that he isn't really sick and the next time he claims to be "sick," he is definitely going to school. And I didn't respond with a big fat YES when he asked "even if I really am sick?" It was not at that moment that I did not have the realization that I had been essentially duped by my 7 year old.....again. I did not vow that I will never fall for his "my belly hurts" routine ever again because I am not onto him.

Until the next time he gets "sick." I will probably not let him stay home from school......