Mother Pal

I think that no matter what when you are divorced and single you play a dual role.
I have seen my brother sing lullabyes (well, if you call Red Hot Chili Peppers sung quietly at bedtime a lullabye), nurture, etc. and on the flip side I have had to fill the Dad role. Like throwing the football back and forth.

Which I don't mine doing, in fact I love. But today, after being mom then being at his school and having to fill the teacher role, then going to a Football game and sliding into home base around 6pm- you are ready to call it a night. I had asked his coach what we could work on and J took me by my word. Once we got home he asked if I wanted to play football.

So I got the steaks on the grill, fries in the oven, and then played catch. I wanted to go in and make a salad but that had to wait. Honestly, I was really looking forward to the steak being done so we could eat and get him in the bath.






Then as he scooped up the football and prepared to slice it to me I heard him call me his "bestest mother pal".

Wow he is good at compliments. The buzzer signaled the steak to be turned and I, like a good coach, ordered him to run a couple sprints from one end of the fence to the other. (this was to make sure he was good and worn down for bed, too)

If I were still married an evening like tonight would have been pawned on my husband. Take the son out and play ball and I will make dinner. The classic woman/man roles that I had taken for granted. Yet, being divorced has helped me to enjoy more of the parenting spectrum. Sure, I would still take the man going over the basics of sports- but I think some of my best memories have been the long hours spent either pitching the ball to J or throwing the football.

It is hard not to plan your child's future. Tonight on the bleachers the moms were talking about how excited we are for grid kid. Especially since our offense couldn't be stopped. Last year we didnt' win a game as kindergartners, but this year they are doing amazing and have learned so much. But by then Jaden will realize that his mom doesn't have as good of arm as his friends or Dad.

But I am going to try to really soak in the time that J still wants to play catch with his mom.