Just Another Day of Me Being a Mean Mom

I'm the worst mom ever. Again. Savannah wanted to go see the movie Twilight Thursday night (or shall I say Friday morning) when it opened.

"But all my friends are going to the movie! My friend's mom can even drive me there! Please, please, pleeeease?"

"Hmmm, let me think about this. The movie doesn't start until midnight which means you won't be getting to bed until 2:00AM and it's a school night. You're only 12. Ahhh, no."

"But EVERYBODY's going! Why can't I? My friends are all going!!!!"

"I'm not your friends' mom or I'd make them stay home too."

"Mooo-oom!"

"Sorry hon, but you're not staying out that late on a school night. I'm just mean that way. I didn't tell you that you couldn't ever see the movie. You're just not going Thursday night."

At this point, she pouted and stomped off. I was a little disappointed. I mean, I usually get the "You're the meanest mom ever!" comment and I didn't even get that this time. (In all fairness, that comment almost always comes from Jackson and not Savannah.)

I honestly almost reconsidered. I mean, Savannah's a good kid. She helps me out tons! She gets all As and Bs on her report cards. What difference would it make? Maybe I should let her go with her friends....

Then I recalled a book I recently read. It's called Gentle Passages by Robin Jones Gunn. I had the chance to meet Robin at the retreat in Sonoma last month. What a sweetheart she is! She really just GLOWS. Any mother of a daughter needs to read this book. It's a short gift book with a few ideas for making those transitional years a little more meaningful and special for your precious daughters.

Anyway, Savannah wanting to do something that all her friends were doing reminded me of the first story in this book, The Secret of the Fine China Plate. My situation with Savannah wasn't exactly what Robin was talking about in her book, but it reminded me of Robin's story.

Savannah didn't hold a grudge and she got over her disappointment pretty quickly. I was actually impressed with how she handled it. But I know there will be many, many more times when I'm going to tell her "no" and not let her do something that all her friends are doing. Robin's book helped me to think of my daughters and how I parent them in a slightly different light.

I liked this book so much that I asked Robin if she'd autograph a copy for my readers. She happily agreed (I told you she's a total sweetheart!) In fact, she also gave me another gift book, Mothering by Heart, to give away. Sooo, leave me a comment here and I'll choose 2 winners (1 for each autographed book) on Wednesday. In the meantime, check out Robin's website. She's got a million awesome books (she writes adult fiction, teen fiction, nonfiction, you name it!) and you just have to look at her photo albums! She's got some really amazing pictures there!