Always the Last to Bed

Let me start with who the heck let’s their preschool age child put stickers on their car window? Like real stickers. Puffy Troll stickers, Batman, Spider-Man and even the ones from the doctor’s office. Liam’s Mom does. That’s who. I mean she doesn’t drive a Lexus but she drives a pretty nice Honda. I think you’ll agree with my sensible Mom response when I was asked “Mom can I put stickers on my window like Liam?” Uh, no. “No honey, you can’t put stickers on your window, those will never come off.” Wow! I can’t believe his Mom is letting him do that! I think to myself as I shake my head and pass by holding my daughters hand. Then I feel guilty. Big time guilty. A punch in the stomach as I’m walking by Liam’s car to guide my daughter to the daycare door. The inner dialogue starts. Should I let her put stickers on her window? I mean does it really matter? I’m taking her to daycare all day. Maybe I should let her put a friggin sticker on her window. Am I a bad Mom?

I walk inside and help her get situated and make my exit. It’s never easy. This is never easy. Leaving her every day is never easy. It doesn’t get easier. That’s a lie.

I walk outside and Liam’s car is gone. His mom has gone to work. It’s just a glass window. The stickers can probably be scraped off later. Maybe with Goo Be Gone? Liam’s stickers looked like they’ve been on there for years. There’s about 20 of them. Not 5-6. But like 20. Some are peeling off and some have faded in the sun. Honestly I know it’s ridiculous. I just can’t let her do it.

Mom guilt is huge! Especially when day care is involved. Even the smallest things like stickers on a window can make us question our abilities and mindset. Just because we let someone else take care of our kids while we’re at work doesn’t make us bad Moms. We know what’s best for our kids. The boundaries we make, the creative encouragement we give, the love we give each and every day- they all add up and help our small humans grow into living, kind people who live important lives. We are their Moms and nothing can take that away. My daughter is learning important skills at daycare, she has friends and is independent. She plays all day and is happy. The truth is there’s never too much love for a child. There’s never too many people to love a child. Me, my husband, my Mom, my Mother in Law, my brother, my sister in law, and Miss April. We all love my daughter. I know Miss April at daycare loves my daughter and that means all the world to me and my daughter too. That makes me wonder though…would Miss April let her put stickers on the car window??????