Ode to crafty moms

Whoever thought glitter was a good idea was wrong. This morning while I was writing, I thought to myself that six year old Tyler had been awfully quiet for an awfully long time. Every mom knows this moment. On the one hand you’re a little concerned about what your young child is doing. On the other hand you’re just so thankful for uninterrupted time that you ignore that little voice telling you to check on your child.

But then… I realized Tyler had discovered some glitter and paint and was in craft mode. Normally I am a crafty, let’s-be-creative-and-get-messy kind of mom. But today that mom is not here. No, today the “I need to get things done” mom woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I found Tyler at the kitchen table happily making a sign for his dad. He wrote “Dad” and drew a cute picture of himself with the paint. Then, the finishing touch, he unloaded an entire container of glitter on this picture. When he saw me looking at him, he held up his creation, and with a big smile asked, “Won’t Dad like this, Mom?!”

Did I praise my creative son whose grandmother is a professional artist and who would have certainly congratulated him on his spectacular art? Did I think what a sweetie-pie for making a sign for his dad?

A few particles of glitter actually stuck to his painting when he held it up, but 99 % of it fell on the table, the floor, and him. I put my hands on my hips and without as much as a “good job” told him he would be helping clean up this mess. “Go get the vacuum!” I commanded with my don’t-mess-with-me voice.

“But mom I don’t know where it is,” explained Tyler.

“Oh yes you do and if you really don’t then why on earth don’t you you’re almost seven for pete’s sake.”

As I helped him retrieve the vacuum from the closet, the dogs thought they’d discovered some treats on the floor. So they sniffed the glitter, got it all over themselves, and walked on the carpet. Then Tyler realized he had glitter all over his hands, which was now all over the vacuum. He washed his hands, and had to go potty while there, leaving glitter from the sink to the commode, and other private places.

“Okay, go change your clothes and I’ll just clean this up myself!”

“But, Mom, Dad’s really going to like my picture.”