How to have a bad day.........in the Hamptons!
Can you imagine? You plan for months, even dream of it for years, only to find that all it takes is your ungrateful child to be miserable in one of the best places in the world. At the "mature" age of 44, I've waited a very long time to "do" New York. So my husband is taking care of our 11 year old while I took my 9 year old to accomplish one of my "to do's" on my list of things I should do before I reach 50. One of which is to visit the Hamptons. So while visiting my friend Darla (author of the best seller book Happy Housewives) on Long Island, she kindly packs us up to head for an East Hampton beach for a few days. All the way there the kids were asking when are we going to get there, how much longer, it's hot, I want to go home in the pool... And when we arrive, unpack and enter this beach house that Darla's friend so sweetly offered us, they said they were bored. Shopping in the cutest shops near the house, all they wanted was what THEY wanted. It was all about them....nothing's changed from the West coast to the East coast. It was all about my child back home, and it's all about my child on Mommy's best vacation in a long time.
My child is well aware that I did not bring the actual Champ Ladder! He realizes that consequences are sure to be forgotten because Mommy didn't bring the fridge to adhere the chart to!! What a difference his behavior is (or lack thereof) when he knows that perhaps there are no consequences to adhere to if there is no way to monitor his discipline. Similarly, however, there is also no Reward Chart either, so he may not be getting as many rewards or privileges since in his mind I'm not keeping track...how 'bout them apples?
Well, had Darla and I been alone, perhaps we would have made these amazing adult plans. But with the kids tugging at us, all we were in The Hamptons were a couple of nagging Moms, cutely dressed I might add, with kids in tow. We drove back to Darlas after only being there for 3 hours, where the first thing the kids did was jump in the pool and thanked God they were home where life is good with air condition, food, and a beautiful pool for them to "fight" in for hours.
Ahhhh.......life was good in the Hamptons!! It really was, because if you've gone through infertility like I did for 3 years, you can't forget what you prayed for to get these children. I'd rather be in the Hamptons with a whiny child, than anywhere in the world with none.
My child is well aware that I did not bring the actual Champ Ladder! He realizes that consequences are sure to be forgotten because Mommy didn't bring the fridge to adhere the chart to!! What a difference his behavior is (or lack thereof) when he knows that perhaps there are no consequences to adhere to if there is no way to monitor his discipline. Similarly, however, there is also no Reward Chart either, so he may not be getting as many rewards or privileges since in his mind I'm not keeping track...how 'bout them apples?
Well, had Darla and I been alone, perhaps we would have made these amazing adult plans. But with the kids tugging at us, all we were in The Hamptons were a couple of nagging Moms, cutely dressed I might add, with kids in tow. We drove back to Darlas after only being there for 3 hours, where the first thing the kids did was jump in the pool and thanked God they were home where life is good with air condition, food, and a beautiful pool for them to "fight" in for hours.
Ahhhh.......life was good in the Hamptons!! It really was, because if you've gone through infertility like I did for 3 years, you can't forget what you prayed for to get these children. I'd rather be in the Hamptons with a whiny child, than anywhere in the world with none.
posted by Lisa at
2:30 PM
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