How A Mama’s Creativity Brought Her Family Together
By Lana Moline
We just recently moved into a new house. As to be expected, everyone was thrilled. Since it was early in the school year, the kids thought it was cool to be in a new grade with a new house. So everyday, they attempted to make their space their own, and surprisingly that lasted for two whole weeks. Soon enough in addition to backpacks that seemed to linger on the couch and the tree full of paper on the dinning room table, clothes and the hangers began to accumulate on top of the unpacked boxes of books and toys in their rooms.
Initially I thought that I’d take it own as a project when they went to school and I would organize it all just like Martha Stewart does. Then a couple things dawned on me. First off, despite the sheer joy it brings me to wash, fold, hang and put away all their clothes, I was going in another direction. I decided to restrain myself. Secondly, I am not Martha Stewart. I am a wife and mother of a 13-year old basketball playing son, an 11-year old daughter who loves to sing and an adorable 6-year old daughter who I’ve watched spend hours playing with legos or drawing. There was absolutely no reason my brilliant team of 3 kids and my handsome husband could not join in.
But, I had to come up with a plan to compete against all the other absolute necessities in their lives like my son chatting obsessively on facebook with his friends and the constant giggling that comes with having two daughters. I just didn’t know what would grab them and then one day as everyone seemed to be hovered over some type of electronic device I created and sent an evite. This is how it read:
HOST: Lana Galvez (I gave myself a new last name for effect)
Where: The Moline Residence
When: Sunday, September 4, 2011
Welcome to your new home. There is nothing more exciting than adding the personal touch to your own space. As your host, I am immensely honored by the degree of confidence you’ve placed in my abilities. But now, I just want to make sure that I am on the right track. So I invite you to FINISH MOVING IN. Organize and clean your room. Hang up all of your clothes. Discard old clothes, toys and other items that you haven’t touched in year.
The hilarious thing with this approach is the immediate responses. My husband who I assure you has an MBA because I went to the graduation myself replied “aint no party like a moving in party cause a moving in party don’t stop!” My two daughters confirmed that they would attend. Yet, my son’s response read “unfortunately, I will be unable to attend.”
The morning of my party, I started breakfast and marched through the house singing my husband’s response and getting everyone out of bed. They didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. As we sat down, I explained that I did not want to stand in their way of learning how to become self-sufficient and that this was just me doing my job. Of course the dancing as I poured the juice was something else but by this time the best of Stevie Wonder was already blasting on the stereo. Half asleep yet entertained, they thought I’d lost my mind.
Eight hours later, when I examined their rooms, I was quite pleased with the results and much to my satisfaction, my son showed up for breakfast. To this day I still refer to him as “my special guest.”
Lana Moline is an integral part of the Blackloveandmarriage.com writing team, freelance writer and poet who lives in Ft. Worth with her three kids and husband Emile. Married 11 years, both media professionals have vowed to maintain integrity in all aspects of print and broadcast journalism.Visit her at Lana Moline Speaks.
While reading, I had a vivid picure of each of the kids as you served breakfast and sang! BEAUTIFUL PICTURE!
Hey sis, do what you gotta do! As moms, we have to roll with the changing times otherwise…..well there is no otherwise. Get your party started girl! Peace and blessings!
This was priceless! I read this at 6:15 AM and laughed until 6:30. As I think back, many times I had to play the "have you lost it" routine. Keep up the good work. Eventually your children WILL call you blessed for the habits of a lifetime you're instilingl in them. But right now, I am truly enjoying the posts and today's chuckle! God Bless and Keep on Keeping ON!
Thank you so much for the kind words. I still laugh when I think about the fact that my b-ball star sent the message saying he could not attend. He never cracked a smile. I thought it was hilarious. He showed up and did his part though, they all did – and I am SO GLAD! Peace and blessings!
Love the creativity. May have to borrow your idea one of these days. Love the fact that it got the job done in half a day. Keep up the great work.