Miss Popularity
Growing up I was never one of the popular kids. I wasn't a loner (except for a very painful stretch of junior high) but I was never one of those kids that others gravitated to or wanted to imitate. I remember one friend in sixth grade-- her name was Brandi-- who fit the category "popular" quite well. She was a bubbly, happy, cute girl who the boys loved to tease and chase and try to charm but also someone all the girls wanted to be friends with too. As teenagers, popularity had a lot less to do with whether or not you enjoyed a person's company and more about status markers like good looks, a spot on a sports team or as a cheerleader, the right clothes, money, and general "coolness." Still, people flocked around those in the top popularity bracket-- usually to increase their own status through reflected glory-- and a popular person in my high school was never likely to be stuck "alone." As someone who dreaded finding herself alone in a social situation, I envied that.
Well, it occurred to me recently that I am most definitely popular now. I have both girls and boys fighting just to be close to me. In fact, I am so popular that it causes some serious disruption during Sacrament Meeting.
(You know where this is going, right?)
Every Sunday when we walk into the chapel, my kids kind of hang about waiting to see where I will sit. As soon as I choose a seat (usually in the middle of a long bench) there is a mad rush to see who can claim the spot on either side of me first. The ones who lose out general sit as close as they possibly can and spend their time jostling the others and hoping they will get up long enough for their spots to be stolen. It's quite flattering, actually.
But inevitably it gets crazy. The two children who win the coveted spots on either side of me usually end up head-butting each other, each trying to claim my full lap as a pillow. And S still may trump all by climbing up everyone's legs and plopping herself right onto my lap, even if someone's head is still there. Terence will usually order someone to sit next to him to try and reduce the crazy, but still, I spend most of the meeting feeling like I am the prize toy being yanked on by a gaggle of toddlers shouting "Mine!"
The strangest thing is that even M-- who frequently insists I am a thorn in her side who can't get anything right-- still participates in this sibling rivalry for the right to be close to Mom.
Odd, but I guess I should enjoy this popularity while it lasts. It's a fickle thing (as numerous former high school stars can attest). Even if my kids never decide that sitting next to Mom is embarrassing, at some point they are going to grow up and I will be all alone in that bench. (Hey, there is a bright side to that though. At some point I'm going to get to sit next to Terence again!)
Just a little reminder to enjoy the crazy while it lasts!
Well, it occurred to me recently that I am most definitely popular now. I have both girls and boys fighting just to be close to me. In fact, I am so popular that it causes some serious disruption during Sacrament Meeting.
(You know where this is going, right?)
Every Sunday when we walk into the chapel, my kids kind of hang about waiting to see where I will sit. As soon as I choose a seat (usually in the middle of a long bench) there is a mad rush to see who can claim the spot on either side of me first. The ones who lose out general sit as close as they possibly can and spend their time jostling the others and hoping they will get up long enough for their spots to be stolen. It's quite flattering, actually.
But inevitably it gets crazy. The two children who win the coveted spots on either side of me usually end up head-butting each other, each trying to claim my full lap as a pillow. And S still may trump all by climbing up everyone's legs and plopping herself right onto my lap, even if someone's head is still there. Terence will usually order someone to sit next to him to try and reduce the crazy, but still, I spend most of the meeting feeling like I am the prize toy being yanked on by a gaggle of toddlers shouting "Mine!"
The strangest thing is that even M-- who frequently insists I am a thorn in her side who can't get anything right-- still participates in this sibling rivalry for the right to be close to Mom.
Odd, but I guess I should enjoy this popularity while it lasts. It's a fickle thing (as numerous former high school stars can attest). Even if my kids never decide that sitting next to Mom is embarrassing, at some point they are going to grow up and I will be all alone in that bench. (Hey, there is a bright side to that though. At some point I'm going to get to sit next to Terence again!)
Just a little reminder to enjoy the crazy while it lasts!
Comments
I would love that.