Tonight, Nick had a workshop to go to, so Madeline and I took advantage of the one-on-one time and had ourselves a little date. Although it is sometimes a challenge (and often requires a babysitter), I do my best to make sure that each of the kids gets time with me all to themselves. With this new workshop being a weekly event from now until May, my one-on-one time with Madeline just got a lot easier for the time being.
We ducked into a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat. About ten minutes in of non-stop chatter, she looked up and said “I talk a lot, don’t I?” Which is exactly why I know this time is so important to them. (And, funnily enough, exactly what Nick said the last time we went out alone together). They need the time with me without interruptions.
During our meal, we covered:
– if sharks can be trained to be good
– imagining how it would be if we could walk on chopsticks, and how we’d have to be careful
– how delicious the dumplings were (her first time with the gyoza kind; she loves Chinese dumplings, but only eats the insides)
– how her friend’s boyfriend threw a car at another classmate and hit him in the eye
– and how maybe her friend needs a new boyfriend
– how Madeline will pick a boyfriend when she’s 16 or 10
– but not now
– how artists learn to draw
– the habits of blowfish, how dangerous they are, and what they eat (she had just watched a tv show on blowfish)
– what we’d look like if we each ate 25 million edamame
– how one girl in her class was mean to her and she didn’t want to invite her to her upcoming birthday party. And when I asked if she needed me to intervene, I was told “No, I think I can handle it”
– the difference between the “rock on” sign (Aunt Beth will be proud) and “hang ten” (as shown above)
– how the bathroom of the restaurant we were in smelled like “Chinese perfume” (which is also known as “Asian restaurant with a diffuser in the bathroom”)
– and the difference between love and romance, and how they are similar, but different, and connected
And yes, I took notes.
Because this is the stuff I want to remember.
Forever.
And that was only about 15 minutes of our conversation, which lasted a total of an hour and a half.
And if it sounds like an exhausting 15 minutes, it was, but only in the very best possible way.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I love a good Maddie conversation and you seem to cover every topic imaginable in as short a time as possible. :) Glad you’re getting to spend one-on-one time with your girl!
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very cute…. im exhausted reading it.. need a drink now. :)
one on one time is so important when you have more than one child! I’ve been setting aside time at home to hang out with each of my boys – while the other is doing something with their dad elsewhere in the house. It’s amazing what topics they want to talk about when it’s just the 2 of you.
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Aunt Beth is very proud! Maybe she wants to join us at Bon Jovi …
I’ve always been able to get a lot of one on one time with Dan because of Nick’s sports, and up until the end of last August, he went to daycare where I work so we commuted together every day. But I wasn’t getting enough time alone with Nick, and with it being between sports seasons and Dan going to school locally now, I wasn’t getting enough time alone with Dan now either. The ex wasn’t getting enough time alone with either of them so we started splitting them up occasionally. It’s for their benefit and ours.
I’ve noticed that the boys are getting along better since we started doing this and Dan is enjoying going to his dad’s more. He didn’t not enjoy it before but he was starting to lean towards wanting to be at my house. Maybe that should make me feel good but I prefer to see them make the transition back and forth without a second thought.