mom, interrupted.

mae's entry:

As Aiden wolfed down a muffin today, I saw a sleeve-ful of crumbs.

He has recently started a habit in the last month of wiping his mouth on his sleeve, to my chagrin.

So I start with my Parent Voice That is Firm:
"Your sleeve is not a napkin. Please use a tissue to wipe your mouth. There are heaps of crumbs on your sleeves when I do the laundry. Clearly, you are..."

"...HUGGABLE!" Aiden interrupts with a wide crumb-encrusted grin.

I stop in mid-sentence. We sometimes play a game called "You are huggable" but this clearly wasn't playtime and I was using my Firm Voice no less.

And yet, I feel...myself...smile.

Aaarrghs. Parenting Mistake #392 is smiling when you're supposed to be disciplining.

Sheesh. Thrown for a loop by a 4-yr-old.