Well, it's here and it's happened...or should I say, happening.
It went down like this...
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Tonight, 9pm - Good night routine
Tonight, 9pm - Good night routine
Me: Good night my honeys...it's lights-out now. Mommy has to go downstairs and do some work for a little bit.
Luke: Are you leaving us?
Me: No, I'm going to be downstairs in the office.
Luke: In the home office?
Me: Yes, sweetheart, in the home office.
Luke: And will you be here in the daytime tomorrow?
(sigh)
Me: No, honey, mommy won't be in the home office tomorrow. I have to go to work and be in my work office tomorrow morning. But I'll be back in the afternoon and it will still be daytime. Hope that's OK.
Luke: But whyyyy, mommy? I want you to stay with us during the daytime in the morning. Mommy, we have a home office and you can work downstairs.
Me: Luke honey, I have to go in and be with my work colleagues to get some things done (yes, I used the word colleagues with my 3 year old and strangely, I think he understood).
Luke: But whyyyyy?
Me: Honey, I have responsibilities at work and have to get them done.
Luke: But what about Luke and Hannah?
(sigh)
Me: You and Hannah and daddy are the most important people in my life. In addition to being your mommy, I work so that I can be a well-rounded and happy and overall better person, which also makes me a better mommy.
(sigh)
Me: No, honey, mommy won't be in the home office tomorrow. I have to go to work and be in my work office tomorrow morning. But I'll be back in the afternoon and it will still be daytime. Hope that's OK.
Luke: But whyyyy, mommy? I want you to stay with us during the daytime in the morning. Mommy, we have a home office and you can work downstairs.
Me: Luke honey, I have to go in and be with my work colleagues to get some things done (yes, I used the word colleagues with my 3 year old and strangely, I think he understood).
Luke: But whyyyyy?
Me: Honey, I have responsibilities at work and have to get them done.
Luke: But what about Luke and Hannah?
(sigh)
Me: You and Hannah and daddy are the most important people in my life. In addition to being your mommy, I work so that I can be a well-rounded and happy and overall better person, which also makes me a better mommy.
Luke: (Pause. He looks at me quizzically.)
Me: (I should have shut up there and left it at that, but I kept going.) ...And I also work so that I can help daddy provide a great life for our family. I hope you understand that.
Luke: (Pause)
OK, are we still going to Disneyland next week when we go on vacation?
No joke.
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No joke.
I can't believe I'm already explaining why I work to our 3-year-olds, and something tells me that this won't be the last time I have this discussion. And if it makes them feel better to know that it helps pay for our vacations and enables us to go to Disneyland, then so be it.
But it still makes me sad.
I hope someday they understand.
But it still makes me sad.
I hope someday they understand.
1 comment:
Oh... (sigh). Great explanation. You're doing a good job Clarissa, a REALLY good job!
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