Ice Cream After Dark

I read on one of the blogs that I follow (sorry that I can't remember which one), one of the bloggers suggested that 30 minutes after your kids go to sleep - wake them up and go out for ice-cream.

I thought that was a great idea! When I told my husband about it, he thought I was nuts! I did it anyway, and this is why...

I am a stay-at-home mom. I feel that I am negative all the time (even though I try not to be). I feel I am constantly saying things like...
"No, you can't eat that now. It's too close to supper."
"Stop hitting your brother!"
"Have you done your responsibilities?"
"No, you have already used your computer time."

And there are many, many others. Then multiply it times 4. Even if I am not negative to all of my children all of the time, I feel that they hear me being negative (although, I'm pretty sure they are experts at tuning me out most of the time).

So, not to go down in their family history as being a mom that they have only bad memories of, I decided to do it. It is nearing the end of summer vacation (only about 2 weeks left), so last Sunday night I woke them up 30 minutes after they went to sleep to go out for ice-cream. It was the first time I had ever done anything like that (which I hope is what 'good memories' are made of). They were all groggy and not sure what was happening. I think Champ asked me like a dozen times, "What?" I think his brain was still sleeping and his brain couldn't process what was going on (even though his eyes were open and he was walking).

I just hope that when they are older, they will sit around the table and say, "Do you remember that time mom woke us up and took us out for ice-cream? That was cool."

On a side note: Frank did not go, but it wasn't because he thought I was nuts, he was sick (he didn't make it to church that morning). He doesn't need the positive points as much as I do either.