aag

18th Sep, 2008

Bedtime in Bedlam

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On the day in question, the little ones had dismantled the ancient copies of The Chronicles of Narnia I’d been saving since I was a child for my own children eventually to enjoy. I guess you could say that they did indeed enjoy them.

I’d expected them to enjoy them through reading instead of wanton destruction, but as is the case with so many things in life, you rarely get what you expect.

On that same day we’d discovered that the paints I’d recently purchased were permanent and not washable. We discovered this after they painted on the dining room table, which under normal circumstances would mean that they painted on paper that was resting on the dining room table, but in all actuality they painted more on the table than on the paper.

I guess this means I’ll get my wish of a newly-refinished table sooner rather than later, right?

Due to these things and many others too exhausting to recount, I was looking forward with exquisite anticipation to bedtime. I herded them upstairs, the middle child trailing behind on hands and knees with her tongue lolling out of her mouth. And panting. She’d decided to be a dog, you see, and a mighty fine dog she was.

I’ve taken to singing a few songs to the little ones as they lie in bed, which seems to provide excellent relaxation for them and a nice transition for me. On this night, the eldest child offered to accompany me on her guitar, which she’s owned for two months and taken lessons on for two weeks. Of course I said yes. How could I have said anything but yes?

She plays with a great spirit but an unfortunate lack of skill at this point. She knows exactly two chords, which that night she alternated between randomly between as I sang. In the background, the middle child/puppy barked along with the music. The boy studiously ripped at his blanket with his teeth. And the cat wandered in and hid behind one child’s bed, though Lord only knows what he thought he’d accomplish by hiding back there.

Can you picture it? Can you hear in your mind the wildly tuneless singing, the off-key strumming, the enthusiastic barking and the sound of fabric ripping?

I can hear it even now. I’ll never forget it.

Posted by: aag

Categories:

family

Responses

That’s absolutely beautiful.
It’s hearing stories like this, the little moments that are captured, that makes me wonder about having my own one day.
Thank you for sharing this. :)

By: Beautiful Dreamer on September 18th, 2008
at 12:29 am

I will never fail to be amazed at the way a kid’s brain works. Honest to God, I love it. Kids should run Marketing firms.

By: Sunbunny on September 18th, 2008
at 12:43 am

i don’t know how you live. was i like this as a child? are other children like this? (i never baby-sat.) i think i would go absolutely insane.

perhaps me (and my mother) have had a similar crazy time erased from our memories by the passage of time? at any rate, if my childhood was anything like this i owe that woman way more than a mother’s day card…

By: Molly Ren on September 18th, 2008
at 1:06 am

Hahahaha! I watch a kid who thought he was a dog for a while. The dog would run to the window and bark at the cars and the boy would be right behind him. It was too funny. Now the boy is a TMNT and saving the world by sitting on his brothers head. Hilarious in story form… not so funny in real life.:-D

By: mer on September 18th, 2008
at 1:43 am

There are parents all over the world who can sympathize with you on this.

My youngest wants to be a dog at least once a day, but we suspect this is because dogs don’t have to tidy up after themselves, which strangely enough my kids don’t do either.

By: Tommy Atherton on September 18th, 2008
at 6:25 am

As I was reading this, before I read the comments, I was thinking, “Yep, I can’t wait till daylight savings time is over too. It’s difficult to put kids to bed when it’s still light outside.”

By: ken on September 18th, 2008
at 8:49 am

I have a puppy/kitty children too! We had to draw the line when they would pee in the yard - on hands and knees - one leg up.

They are also a destructive force to rival pretty much anything seen in nature. If you want it broken irreparably hand it to my kids. They don’t look at it and say “Og smash” but they want to know what else the stuff does. Everything needs to multitask. Or morph. I blame transformers.

By: Kathy on September 18th, 2008
at 9:17 am

aag, the only thing I can say is that they do grow up.

By: nitebyrd on September 18th, 2008
at 10:15 am

Good times.

By: Jackie on September 18th, 2008
at 11:09 am

Sounds very relaxing. LOL

By: Amanda on September 18th, 2008
at 11:41 am

I’ve had many precious childhood books wantonly destroyed by my little man too. Although he prefers to be a dinosaur rather than a dog.

By: Miss F on September 18th, 2008
at 12:19 pm

My little 5 year old angel is currently walking around the house in her rain boots, tiara and little else…

quacking.

By: modc on September 18th, 2008
at 12:44 pm

“Our lives are made
in these small hours,
these little wonders,
these twists and turns of fate. “

By: Mama O'Two on September 18th, 2008
at 3:05 pm

I too am saving my Narnia collection for my, as yet non-existent, kids. I guess you have to let go of all expectations when you have kids.

By: Madelyn on September 18th, 2008
at 3:43 pm

I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, but I’d say that your daughter can play better than I. I love those types of memories, though - it’s too bad we can’t video every second of the day to keep for when they’re all grown up and have flown the coop.

I was just wondering if you’d chosen the top five stories yet? Have been waiting to read some more delicious stories LOL.

By: Randi on September 18th, 2008
at 10:55 pm

it’s funny how many many things i’ve saved for my kids. people say ‘get rid of some of your books’ and i say “only the ones i wouldn’t want my kid to read”

and yes, i would keep screw the roses for them… except i accidentally gave it away

By: badinfluencegirl on September 18th, 2008
at 10:57 pm

In all my years of parenting (4 kids in 2 generations), bedtime has consistently been the best time.

By: Kip de Moll on September 18th, 2008
at 10:59 pm

I love your stories about your kids. I’m a sap for the under-10 set.

By: Sera on September 19th, 2008
at 9:31 am

I saved various things for my kids to share with their kids, including, (Ta-da!), The Chronicles of Narnia. I imagined their delight and care they would take so that they too could eventually pass them on to the next generation.

My favorite however was an illustrated book named Homer Price and I gave it to my daughter about 10 years ago for her babies. She returned it to me the other day saying they had enjoyed it but it was time to clear stuff out for a move to a new home.

The spine was destroyed and pages were missing. I had a remote sense of loss but knew in my heart - it ain’t nothing but a thing and everything changes.

Thanks for sharing.

By: Boodles on September 19th, 2008
at 4:52 pm