Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Mommy's Good Old Days - 2nd Grade, or the Year I Found Out My Parents had Friends

This post is part 4 in a 15 week series sponsored by Mommy's Piggy Tales that encourages women to record their youth. Week four's assignment is age 7/2nd grade.

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Yes, until this time in my life, I believed that my parents were put on God's earth to serve my every need and make me endlessly joyful. Of course that didn't always happen, but it was their job, I thought. Somewhere in this blissful ignorance my parents decided to have a cookout.

Most of you are probably thinking, "what's the big deal, sister?" Our own children are 4 and 6 and have sat through countless cookouts with friends and family. But for some reason, be it the distance we lived from our church (those 13 miles were a vast wilderness to forge for the city folk), or my parent's arduous working hours, or a host of other, I-don't-know-so-I'll-come-up-with-some-excuse/reason, it is my perception that my parents were not social and did not have friends. My 7 year old brain computed that as completely normal. We 3 children were friends enough for them, I guessed.

This all changed when they announced we were having a cookout with some friends from church. Not attending a cookout, but having one. This was a new experience for me. What would this look like? Would I know who these "friends" even were?

Then the next big shock came: they were going to invite the Andersons. Wait. Did you say the Andersons? Like the parents of the boy in my class? You know them??? Once I recovered from the shock of finding out that my parent's social group blended into my own social group, I was able to get excited that kids my age would be coming over to play, even if they only had boys.

The cookout went splendidly, as I recall. I know there was more than one family there, but I only remember all of us kids playing in the backyard tree until after dark (which is one of the best things about your parents having friends over, I discovered, they let you play way past your normal bedtime).

It was a defining moment for me, to consider my parents as social beings who desired to connect with their peers as much as I did. Maybe Mom and Dad didn't just exist to serve me . . . no, that can't be right. I think I'll stick to my original conclusion.

11 comments:

Ginny Marie said...

Oh, I laughed when I read this post! What a great memory! To realize that Mom and Dad were actually people, too, was mindbending, wasn't it?

Aspiring Mom2three said...

This one made me smile! Our kids tell us all the time, they didn't realize we had friends (of course they are joking, I hope). Priceless!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

This is sooooo precious! I wonder if my kids think we have friends. :) I also the comment on a family coming from your class...my first "boyfriend" was the son of my parent's friends.
Enjoying this journey,
Janette

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

You are being wayyyyyyyyyyyyy too hard on yourself...I am not seeing you post "bad" things...these post are totally enjoyable...and they make memories.(as you stated on my post)
I wish you could come set around our table while my 24 year old (second born) starts to tell his views of our home...we laugh until we cry, but they aren't very realistic. It is his preceptive.
You are doing great...thanks for stopping by my blog,
Janette

Crystal said...

How funny! Sadly I can't relate because I never remember my mom actually having adult friends over. She was a workaholic, and even to this day is not super social! Which is funny considering I personally have discovered a LOVE for entertaining! I hope my daughter can see it (she's 4) and know I am not here solely to cater to her and her brother!!
Thanks for sharing!
www.crystalizedreflections.blogspot.com

Missy said...

Haha! This was great! I love sharing your memories.

Missy said...

Haha! This was great! I love sharing your memories.

Janna said...

I remember hearing my mom call my teachers by their first names and being mortified. They were not "Susan" they were "Miss Day." etc.

Ah playing under the big tree. A tree is almost like a security blanket for me.

Debi said...

So funny. Your description of how that went down is really cute. Amazing how we still remember such feelings.

gianna said...

What a great story! I'm still convinced that my parents were put on this earth for me alone!
Too funny!

Eos Mom said...

Wonderful story! My parents were always doing things with friends, but I had similar lightbulb moments, like hmmm, my parents are actual PEOPLE. Very funny post!