Mommy Adventures: A Glimpse of the Chaos

I’ve always been the Aunt. Well, actually, I’m the godmother, but out of all my godchildren, only one calls me Ninang. So, I’m mostly the Aunt. Auntie B, and I like it. I adore these kids who call me Auntie, and they adore me too, more because I am one of them. I still think that life is funnest when we’re all playing.

Once in a while, I step back from the role of the playmate to actually something more adult. The other day, I came home to a family gathering with Captain Awesome and Lil HRH hanging out with our neighbor’s son. Screams of “Auntie! Let’s play!” are always welcoming. I played Clue with them… until I got bored. Odd. I never usually get bored with the kids, but I guess it makes it different when one of the kids is not really a relative. Perhaps I got bored because there was more managing than actually playing as Captain Awesome and I repeatedly explained what the other kid had to do. So, I told them I’m going to help Chef and Um in the kitchen. And then, chaos began.

While we were in the kitchen, the kids were running around, playing hide and upstairs and downstairs, battling each other with my cushions. Every loud bang or stomp made me want to run up to see that no one hit their heads. I was also concerned that our house is not at all child-proofed. And by child-proof I mean not only about the kids’ safety but I was also concerned that they might break stuff, especially when my niece decided to hide behind my new TV. Yikes!

Um and Ms C are of course used to this chaos. It was freaking me out a bit that Chef had the slightest bit of concern at all. I frequently checked on the kids, making sure no one got hurt, making sure everyone was playing fair, making sure no was being a bully or being bullied. But of course parents discipline their kids differently, and I’m used so much to my nephews and niece that it was disconcerting seeing such a different behavior in my home. I guess the chaos looks more chaotic when you are not part of it.

The following day’s chaotic activity was more welcomed as I invited Lil HRH to bake chocolate chip cookies with me. To my surprise, and amusement of course, Captain Awesome wanted to join too. I asked Lil HRH to read the ingredients and she got so excited when I took the jars of flour and sugar from the pantry – I guess for her, the adventure is really about to begin. I thought she’d just be fine adding stuff but the little darling wanted to touch everything! When all the dry components were added to a bowl, she insisted on mixing them with her hands! It may have seemed fun because Captain Awesome wanted to join all the mixing fun. We alternated with the hand-mixer, which at first I was afraid to let go. But the kids knew they can handle it, and they pretty much grabbed the thing out of my hands. They were excited and they enjoyed what we did. They made shapes out of the dough. They loved that I made a gigantic piece. But these kids don’t like sweets. So I am left with 3 batches of cookies. Oh well, it was the interaction that I wanted anyway.

I merely had a glimpse of the chaos that kids bring. As Chef and I wish to have kids one day, I take these as learning experiences. Lord knows I’m not yet ready but when that day comes, I will pray to Him again for I see that parenting is such a daunting task, and this is even just one aspect of it.