It Was Just a Matter of Time

My twelve year old boy has no problem hugging and snuggling with me on the couch. He has no problem when, just for fun, I attempt to pick him up and carry him to his room. He loves when I kiss him goodnight. He also has no issues when I reach over and rub his shoulder while I am driving and tell him that I love him. He never complains when I whistle loudly and say, "nice hit!" after he is up to bat in a baseball game.

That's all great.

However, Friday marks the day when all of the sixth grade classes,as a reward, go skating at a local roller rink.

I love all things roller skate oriented, mostly because I could out skate a normal sixth grader having worked in a roller rink for 4 years.

I asked my son if he would like me to chaperon his field trip and he couldn't say "no" fast enough. "You have to work Mom, it's okay." "You are busy, it okay." and his last attempt, "It's on Friday, you have too much to do."

I was hurt. I admit. I thought that I was the "fun mom" who's children jump at the chance to have Mom around. I mistook myself for the mom whose children beg her to go on field trips even when they are in the sixth grade, because I'm fun, and funny, and a good roller skater. I imagined my children shouting to their friends on the day of the field trip, "My mom is coming to the roller rink, and she's really cool."

I was wrong. It was just a matter of time, before my biggest boy said, "No, it's okay mom, you don't have to go. We have enough chaperons."

What if I didn't work? What would be his excuse then?

I don't want to know.