“Crazy” Moms
I was my kids’ crazy Mom. They actually called me that. Not to my face, but to their friends. My “craziness” was their excuse for not going along with the suggestions of their foolish friends (scripture calls them that.)
Yesterday, my 22-year-old granddaughter called her mother “the wonderful, beautiful, crazy lady” on Facebook. It made me smile. You have to be crazy to raise sane children. You have to be crazy enough to do exactly what you say you will do. This works well when they are tiny. It works even better when they are taller than you.
If you say the car leaves for school at 7:30 you must drive away at that time. An “I Missed the bus” list of chores should be available at all times, including the follow-up weekend penalties.
You must be willing to cancel anything if things don’t feel right at home. Dance recitals, sports practice, trips, games, and concerts are not sacred. The only “have too’s” are church, school, and the” values of this house.” Everything else comes second. The CM says “I’m paying for it, I can cancel it.” She is never too busy to follow through. She and Dad never make a rule they can’t enforce, but they enforce all of the rules they make.
Crazy Mom says “if you are not here on time I will come get you – in my bathrobe and curlers.” “Curfew means I am looking at your face, not hearing your voice on the phone.”
Crazy Mom says “this is how much we are spending at the park or the store today. Shop wisely.” CM makes it clear who owns what. She explains that she and Dad own the house, heat, electricity, food, cars and all appliances which they are willing to share with people who contribute to their upkeep and do not abuse them or take them for granted. CM’s time, energies, and talents are available to anyone who actually needs help, but she does not take over responsibility for outcomes. If your project is late, you will need to learn to manage your time better.
Once Crazy Mom (me) locked herself and everyone else in the basement, sat down and read a magazine until a sibling issue was resolved. Urgency was provided by the fact that one non-offending sibling had plans to go out that evening. “This is everybody’s problem. I certainly can’t send you out in the world if you cannot work things out in here,” CM said. The other kids became so concerned about the "inocent" sibling they solved their problem rather quickly.
Kids take over by acting crazy. Crazy Mom must be willing to be even crazier than they. Her main concern is who they become, not what they become. She has shown them in Scripture just where she got those “crazy” ideas. She explains that at the end of the day she answers to the person who hired her - a Heavenly Father who loves them more than she does.
