I Loved You Enough
Someday when my children
are old enough to understand the logic that
motivates a parent, I will tell them:
I loved you enough... to ask where you were
going, with whom, and what time you would be
home. And to get angery and put you on restrction
when you didn't show up on time.
I loved you enough... to insist that you save
your money and buy things for yourself even
though I could afford to buy them for
you.
I loved you enough... to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a
creep.
I loved you enough... to make you go pay for the
bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I
stole this yesterday and want to pay for
it."
I loved you enough... to stand over you for two
hours while you cleaned your room, a job that
should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough... to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children
must learn that their parents aren't
perfect.
I loved you enough... to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my
heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough... to say NO
when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm
glad I won them, because in the end you won,
too.
And someday when your children are
old enough to understand the logic that motivates
parents, you will tell them... Was your Mom mean?
I know mine was, and now that I have left home, I
am an educated, honest adult. I am doing my best
to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think
that is what's wrong with the world today. It
just doesn't have enough mean moms.
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