On being a zen mother Part 2

So the funniest thing? While I was just finalising that post – proofing, loading onto the blog site – with 2 children out on sleep-overs, a baby asleep and a nearly 3 year old on the fake mobile to friends, whilst packing her handbag with utensils from the second drawer in my kitchen with a plastic baby tucked under one arm – everything goes a little haywire.

To be honest, I’m not sure zen motherhood was invented for parent’s of nearly 3 year olds (and perhaps 3 year olds, and part way through 4?), because she marched into the office and said “Can you get me a snack? Can I get on your knee and go on the computer? Can you start the laptop so I can have a go at Cinnamons (She means Sims….my teenager decided to “teach” her how to play two nights ago)? Can I have some paper, I want to draw? NOOOOOOO, not that paper, the good paper!” and me, being very zen, said “Honey, can you give mummy five minutes to just finish my work on the computer and then I’ll get you some food, and we’ll go make apple crumble for tonight (channeling my inner domestic goddesss as well as being very calm and zen), and what I’m doing is pretty cool and all about being a lovely mummy, I’ll be finished in just a minute.” And she said “OK Mum.” Sweet, cherubic smile, big deep breath, “But can you just get me snack RIGHT NOW because I’m really hungry and I need you to turn on the laptop or put Dora on for me while you’re busy. And then you can finish your works and….I might just go out on the trampoline, can you open the door, and come and watch me? OH no, the chooks are out the front, they’ll get me when I go out there, can you carry me to the trampoline and then chase them away while you watch me jump?” And when I said something pretty calm and cool about just finishing up, she stamped her foot, threw herself to the ground and lay at my feet screeching she was starving and kicking the desk leg……

And I said…….ha ha, it wasn’t very zen 🙂