Just Gimme My Award Already

Friday afternoon, my doorbell rang, and there stood a lady I’d never seen before, well dressed and obviously not selling anything. Upon further inspection, I saw behind her my 2 children. Outside the house. As in not in the playroom or the gated backyard at the very least. As the woman explained that she lived across the alley from us, my son sheepishly tried to hide behind her, and my daughter merrily and obliviously pushed her broken baby doll stroller up and down the sidewalk. Our neighbor had found them playing in the alley. Oh, goody.

I just know that puts me on the short list for Mother of the Year.

Man, I feel awful. It’s always such a line to walk between helicopter parent and allowing for independence, and obviously I didn’t come down on the right side this time. But gee whiz, I didn’t even know Sammy could open that gate, seeing as it’s a push for me to do it. But kids, my kids, they are crafty. And apparently dexterous.

These are paltry excuses. Parent fail, plain and simple.

After Chris got home, I marched Sammy over to the neighbor’s house, to thank her for helping them and promising never to do something like that again. I could tell but his, ahem, extreme reluctance for the task that it had at least a little impact. And since I hadn’t caught her name, I thought it would be a good way to make her acquaintance and show that even though I’d blown it earlier, I do my best to clean my messes up. Turns out she’s a grandmother with granddaughters close to my kids’ ages who live in the area and visit all the time (she moved to be close to her daughter – millions of grandma points to her). She invited us in and immediately gave Sammy a snack (which I graciously accepted even though dinner was on the stove). She was charming and lovely and gracious, and I can’t believe she’s lived behind us for over a year and we hadn’t met (this is both a combination of my crippling inability to get over myself to meet new people and the weird nature of our neighborhood not to hang out outside and meet each other). But I’m so glad we did. Not under these circumstances, but still.

As a housewarming gift, I offered up my husband for any handyman duties she might need. I know, I’m generous like that.