I was caught yesterday doing one of the most heinous
things a mother can do to her children.
I confess: I throw away their school papers and art
work.
Please, let me explain. I'm not trying to stifle their
artistic urges or discount their academic efforts. But I
have two children. I would be buried in paper within a
week if I didn't clear things out as it came in. Really,
it's a fire hazard to keep so much paper around. And
it's ecologically unsound when all that paper could be
recycled, saving a tree from an early death.
I do look at each and every paper they bring home and
even display some of them on the place of honor - the
front of the refrigerator - for a limited time. But
there is always something new. And you know what happens
when you
show your pleasure in their work.
They make you more.
I'm not totally without sentiment. I do keep a sampling
of the best of the best. I have a box that lives on the
top shelf of their closet and when things fall into that
category, I tuck them inside. Sometimes that ends up
getting culled again later on as well, but that's
another matter.
Normally, I dispose of the papers under the cover of
darkness. Or when they aren't home. And I try to time
things so that the garbage just happens to need to be
emptied at the same time. Frankly, most of the time they
don't seem to notice at all.
I slipped up yesterday though and my four year old son
saw some of his school papers in the trash. He looked so
crestfallen I almost dug them out from under the
vegetable peelings. I worried for a moment that I might
have
subconsciously sent him the message that somehow school
work is worthless and that he shouldn't bother to try
and do his best in future. And then I did what eons of
mothers have done before me.
I distracted him with a lollipop and sent him on his
way. He seemed okay with it.
Author and Author's Bio: Jenyfer Matthews is a stay at
home mom to two under ten by day, romance writer by
night. For more about Jenyfer visit
www.jenyfermatthews.com or write to her at jenyfer@jenyfermatthews.com
