Playtime for Mommy

If only The Prude's Children had done more of this...

The Young Prude, a rather self-absorbed child, always assumed her mother didn’t like to read. After all, she never sat down with a book. So when, as a teen, she saw her mother with a novel in hand she asked, “When did you start to like reading?”
her mother responded, “I always liked to read. I just never had time while you kids were growing up.”

The Prude’s children probably don’t know that she likes to play. When they were young
she would set aside playtime, but just as the fun was really beginning (Barbie was ready to bungee jump with a too-long cord (around her neck) , the A-team’s van was about to crash into a wall of pure kryptonite, Barney was going to learn the hard way that dinosaurs can’t swim) The Prude would have to run and hang clothes on the line, wash the pots and pans, pay the bills… you get the idea.

Some people call this the tyranny of the urgent. The Prude calls it discrimination against young mothers. But for once she has no idea how to make it right. How does one ensure that up-and-coming young mothers have time to run and play with their children? Short of allotting federal funds for laundering/house cleaning/bill paying services for all mothers of small children?

The Prude’s children believe that her favorite activities are in the kitchen, behind a vacuum cleaner, or making horrible faces at a checkbook.

But today is the day Your Prude catches up on that lost fun. She is having 2 little friends come and we are going to play all day. Dress up clothes, crafts, jumping in the leaves, reading stories, shooting a little pool. Not a laundry basket, dishcloth or utility bill in sight.

Obviously The Prude is still self-absorbed. She is catching up on her own playtime
instead of volunteering to clean etc. for the young mother of the girls. But be gracious to her.
She wants to see if Barbie survives the bungee jump.