“Did you take minuscule token bites of the nutritional items in your lunch before consuming the chips and cookies you snuck in there behind my back?”
What Mom says: “Please stop touching your brother.”
What boys hear:
“Stick your tongue out and make faces at your brother as soon as I turn away.”
What Mom says: “I would appreciate it if you could at least wear a pair of shorts around the house.”
What boys hear:
“Shorts around the house would be great, but underwear it totally optional.”
What Mom says: “Eat your dinner; there won’t be any snacks available later.”
What boys hear:
“Eat whenever you feel like it. I will always be ready to jump up and cater to your every dietary whim.”
What Mom says: “Please pick up your LEGOs”
What boys hear:
“Select approximately 10 pieces with which you can live without and return them to the box. Continue working with the other 4,352 pieces on the floor. Be sure to spread them out as much as possible so that I will step on at least four should I walk through this room later in the dark, with bare feet.”
And finally,
What Mom says: “Why does my car smell like stinky feet?”
The boy replies: “Because you’re a boy-mom. Stinky feet are your life!”
Truth.
May grace and peace, and clean smelling feet be yours in abundance,
Adelle
