In which I say the strangest things

by Kami Cornwall

"The Superheroes need to go back home."
"Zombies aren't allowed in my house."
"Malcolm, don't eat the wall."
Okay, that last one was directed at the dog, but with boys sometimes it could go either way. The point is, I find myself more and more saying things that I don't normally ever say.

When I became a mother I found myself repeating things my mother said. It took a few years to undo the "mom-isms" she had ingrained in me. She used to exclaim things like, "Good night, nurse! It looks like hurricane Hannah hit in here! My word!" Whenever we returned home from anywhere she would repeat part of the nursery rhyme, "Home again, home again, jiggity-jig." I still find myself beginning that little phrase only to shake my head and try to grab at the words drifting out of my mouth. Make it stop!

While on the phone with my mother recently I had to pause and cover the receiver with my hand while I broke up an argument and threatened to take away somebody's privileges if they didn't stop misbehaving. My mother chuckled on the other end and said with a smug voice, "It's so good to hear that what comes around goes around." So I know she has been where I am. With five children how could she not? But did my mother also say to her child, "It's probably not a good idea to balance your bowl between your chest and the counter, honey," or "No chocolate before breakfast!"

Okay...I think I do recall the no chocolate before breakfast rule. But some rules were made to be broken.