On Saturday night, Elegant had three friends over for a sleepover. We had a terrific evening of pizza, ginormous ice cream sundaes, and a movie in the Jenworld movie theater. The girls were unanimous in their belief that I am the Best Mom Ever.
That all changed at 1:16 a.m., which is when I stumbled out of my room and started laying down dire imprecations of what will happen if they didn’t Go! To! Sleep! NOW!!! I might or might not have growled too. Then, I officially became the Meanest Mom Ever.
I solidified my Meanest Mom Ever status at 6:30 a.m. — a time which is officially known around Jenworld as the ass-end of dawn. This would also be the time that a certain pack of 3rd graders woke up after their lengthy five hours of sleep. I was not amused by this early rising and was not very sweet, kind, or funny when I once again stumbled across the hall and explained that the girls would be well advised not to wake anyone else up until at least after the sun had risen.
I temporarily regained my Best Mom Ever status at breakfast when I was liberally doling out maple syrup to go with the pancakes Pete was flipping onto the girls’ plates. However, I once again became the Meanest Mom Ever when I shortly thereafter decreed that five hours of sleep is not sufficient for our resident eight-year-old and that she had the option of an afternoon nap or a very early bedtime. She protested vociferously and never took the nap. An early bedtime was therefore scheduled. And by early, I was very clear that she would be tucked into her pink blankets 90 minutes earlier than usual.
When the appointed time arrived, Elegant was almost delirious with exhaustion. There was only a token protest when we pulled the covers up to her chin and kissed her good night. I didn’t seem so mean then.
And today, it appears that I’m neither the Best Mom Ever, nor the Worst Mom Ever. I am merely the mom.
I remember being young and having sleepovers. My mom would just lock us in the basement
My Mom was a firm believer that every person should always sleep in their own bed at night.
I let my daughter have sleepovers. In the summers of early high school age we called it Sisterhood of the Traveling Sleepover. They all ended up at our house every 3rd or 4th night.
Now that my daughter is a grown-up, the sleepovers happen at various off-campus apartments.
I have found that I handle summer sleepovers (when my window air conditioner drowns out the late-late night giggles and chatter) much better than I do winter.
I’m grateful that Best Mom and Worst Mom are both short-lived titles to hold. The latter for the obvious reason… the former because there’s so much work involved!
i just simply HATE sleepovers at ANYTIME.
I think I would have ricocheted between titles in exactly the same way as you.
Sounds like it was a successful sleepover!
I think it’s always wise to keep them guessing;)
Any mom willing to host a sleep over is automatically Best Mom Ever in my book..
I used to that to my mom – run the gambit between mean mom and cool mom and oddly enoughly she always won mean mom to me.
Hmmm…now that saying “I hope you’ll appreciate me when you have kids” is now coming true – I will soon be a mean mom.
It’s as much a traditon of sleepovers as pillow fights-the fed-up-with-the-noise-mom. Been there. Survived it. They won’t remember the mean mom parts, unless you actually were able to make your head spin fully around.
I’ll take the nap option, please.
I think you get best Mom ever for having put up with that! 5 hours of sleep is never enough unless someone is in the hospital or jail. Thankfully that doesn’t happen very often!
I think you’re Super Mom for having a sleepover to begin with. Not to mention the pancakes.
You are brave to host so many guests at once.
I think you’re an awesome mom – and thank god my children aren’t old enough for sleep-overs yet.
I am tired from just reading about the sleepover at your house.
Being just the mom is good. The Best Mom Ever has too much to live up to. The Meanest Mom Ever has too much to live up to.
I agree–being just the mom isn’t such a bad gig : )
It sounds like everyone had fun – except you and Pete, I’m sure, in some spots! Not many parents would have done it as well as you both did.
By the way, I’d love for someone to insist that I take an afternoon nap
Oh, would you come a few miles North and be the Meanest Mom Ever for me? I’m delirious with exhaustion and can’t find my way to bed. I need turn-down service.
When we host sleepovers, they happen in the living room, where the TV with the dvd player is. I put out snacks and drinks. They can sleep on the floor, or fold down the futon couch. I retire to my quarters (bedroom and ensuite), with a book and a glass of wine, close the door, and tell them not to knock unless the house is on fire or someone’s puking.
Sounds like you had a busy sleepover!