Saying Yes; Doing It For the Boys
Tonight is the Mother/Son dance at my boys’ school. Normally this is a flyer I hijack as soon as I pull it out of the take-home folder, quickly throwing it in the recycle bin before my kids have a chance to ask me about it. I avoid school events like this because they seem uber-cheesy and I’d rather just dance with my kids in the living room like hang with with Johnny who still talks like a baby and says poop every other second. Life is too short to be miserable, right?
My youngest was a little too quick on the draw and asked if we could go. But this year has felt different (hello forty!). I’ve felt an internal tug to start doing all of these things before the opportunity is no longer available. I have too many regrets already; I don’t need to add any more. I want to be more of the Yes Mom rather than the No Mom. And I’ve said no A LOT.
I assumed it would just be my seven-year-old and I, as my ten-year-old could probably care less. But, he, yet again, has surprised me. I don’t think he necessarily wants to go because he’s dying to dance with his mama, but he received confirmation that some of his school buddies are going, too. Fine, I’ll take it. He’s already on the cusp of “Whatever, Mom” and he will be the one to break away from me first. He is the middle child in every sense of the word.
I’m actually looking forward to this and hanging with my boys alone. No dad buffer. No older sister to help me out. I’m really glad I’m doing this because these moments are fleeting.
And because I want to win the “Gangnam Style” dance off. Dudes, we so got this.
I hope you take the time to do something with your kids you normally would pass over. Focus on the memory you’ll make for them. Plus it will guarantee you a spot in the No Regrets suite. I hear they are killer seats. Winning!
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Love it! I hear you about the “manufactured” kid/parent events at school or scouts or whatever. But the one-on-one time with Luis is so precious. Not to mention the opportunity to embarrass him with my dance moves. I often dance in the grocery store aisles just to see Laura run and hide from me. Too funny.
Enjoy the dance and be sure to post pictures of you and the boys bustin’ a move. Ok…reaching way back in the dance lingo there.
Ha! That was one of my favorite songs, by the way. Bust a Move was my like my theme song my senior year in high school.
The boys and I did have fun but it was more of the boys off with their friends and the moms gabbing along the periphery of the dance floor. My boys had no interest in dancing with ME. Total b.s.
From one “yes” mom to another (hello over-50, gulp)… you made the right choice, mom. Can’t wait to hear all about it! And I’m here to say the No Regrets suite seats are THE BEST.
It was fun but in a “catching up with moms” kind of way and laughing at the crazy dance moves I witnessed. My boys were off with their friends dancing/playing tag and had no interest in the fulfilling the purpose of the actual event. Oh well, maybe next year.
It will be SO fun!! Tonight is the Daddy/Daughter Dance at our school so Chris and the girls are going……I know they will have a great time, but I would LOVE to be a fly on the wall at that party : )
Bust out some of those sweet dance moves I know that you have….
I bet Chris did way more dancing than I did. The boys were more interested in playing tag and playing with the balloons than actually dancing. Ugh. I never realized that they start that so early!!
I believe the moves to which you refer have usually (okay, ALWAYS) been precluded by a few alcoholic beverages. I enjoyed the night but was thankful it was only an hour and a half.
Oh, Hallie, how sweet! You’re sure to make some wonderful, lasting memories. And I’m sure you cut the rug something fierce!
I tried but they wanted nothing to do with me. There was a table full of doughnut holes, cheese balls, cookies and gallons of lemonade. I mean, did they actually WANT the boys to dance because that food table was a boy’s dream.
I took “Dancing With Myself” to a whole other level that night.
Such a sweet post, Hallie. I can just see you out there, dancing with your boy and flashing that mega-watt smile. A whole lot of litle boys are gonna fall in love with you! ; )
If you read my reply to Melissa, you’ll see the saying is still true, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” I’m no match for doughnut holes.
Ah, I missed the day you originally posted this & I see from your comments that the outcome was slightly different than what you expected, but still… I want to pipe in here to say that first of all… your boys are adorable! Second, I tend to err on the “No Mom” side of things more so than the “Yes Mom” side, too. Plus, I’m already OVER 40, so I know what you mean about the moments feeling like they’re fleeting.
However, you pointed out something that rings true to me—that this time your son showed an interest! The reason I used to hate going to some of those school things is b/c my kids weren’t even interested, so it would feel like an attempt to manufacture fun. But when they are genuinely interested, then I’m more likely to say yes.