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Health & Fitness

Those Mom moments: For better or for worse?

Ever have those Mom moments when you think you are doing a bang-up job? Then you realize things are not what they seem?

I know all the words to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I can hear them in my dreams, but ask me about the latest Obama/Romney squabble and I can tell you little.

At one point in my life, about 800 years ago I used to read the paper...not the local who's who/ what's happening paper but the national news, politics, foreign affairs, etc...since that time I have had 3 kids. Need I say more?

There are trade-offs to staying home with kids. Your view of the world narrows, shifts...you are absorbed in this job. It is a trade-off I would do again and again if I had to make the choice. The rewards are endless. But let's be honest, the job is not an easy one.Just last week I was feeling good about my mother role. I was successfully raising my kids. I had one of those "proud" Mom moments. The story goes like this:

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My Jacob (6) recently had a couple of tiny cavities in his molars. A 10 minute fill and he is good as new. We had a talk about sweets, sugar bugs and brushing. He got the message. He was not going to have any more cavities. Thank God for this as the second visit was like a seen of out of some kind of horror film complete with writhing and blood curdling screams for the entire office to hear. Then throw into the mix that the "toy" he got out of the treasure chest broke by the time we got to the car. Not a good time. And should I mention it was a whoopie cushion that he proceeded to "fart" in the office while I was paying the bill. Fabulous.

So after our chat about brushing he becomes a dedicated brusher. For over a week every time he uses the bathroom I hear the water running (washing his hands like Momma taught him, another Mom moment on the plus side). And when he sails past me I catch a whiff of mint. Wow! He brushed his teeth without being asked. Good boy Jake. Mom moment #2. Doing great.

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 Days pass...lots of minty smells swirling around my boy. I say nothing as not to jinx his dedication to good oral hygiene. Then one day his best bud is over to play...I scoot them off to wash hands before lunch. I happen to pass by them in the hallway as they are exiting the bathroom and I hear Jacob say "doesn't it smell nice and minty?" as he holds his little fingers up to his nose. "Yup!" his buddy says mimicking the gesture.

And in a moment of clarity I realize...he is washing his hands with toothpaste.

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