One Finger Salutes Welcome
“Mom, look at THIS!”
said her son (age 6) producing a balled-up fist in the air. Then, as if peeling a banana, he pulled out a tiny middle finger. There it was. In the upright and locked position.
“THIS” was none other than the oh-so-satisfying one finger salute.
🖕
I could NOT stop myself from busting up.
“So, what did you do to him?!?” I asked my Jacksonville neighbor Louise between chuckles.
“I wanted to laugh. But, I remained calm. Validated his frustration at not getting a third popsicle. And explained why THIS wasn’t a good expression of anger.”
Louise then shared her belief that kids need to be a little weird and wild at home. That it’s okay for them to get their “crazy out” at home so they can be (slightly higher) functioning individuals out in the world. Kids, she said, need to trust that they will be safe and loved no matter what. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t discipline, she just doesn’t lose her cool over it.
And it got me thinking…
First off, get that woman a MOTHER OF THE YEAR award (and a stiff drink). Pronto!
And…is not the same true for ourselves?
Don’t WE need to be a little weirdo at home to be functioning adults out there?
I don’t know about you but I do.
There’s a not-high-so-functioning-Wile-E.-Coyote version of Lauren that haunts our home. This bugger needs…
A damn good cup of coffee first thing in the morning sipped, eyes half-massed across the room from my favorite person in the world (Peter).
An oversized t-shirt, sweatshirt and/or sweatpants ready to swaddle me like a giant baby at a moment’s notice.
A large greasy pizza with pepperoni and green peppers, and the obligatory side salad delivered to my doorstep every week.
A Mead college ruled spiral notebook to contain all my crazy scribbled musings in.
A life-altering book that tickles the imagination and stirs up new ideas to keep my nightstand company.
An insulin-spiking sugar bomb - my palate doesn’t discriminate - to enjoy at least a few times a week.
At least 30 minutes of tube time at the end of each day to turn off the old noggin.
And, just like the neighbor’s kid, I too need to occasionally throw my middle fangas up, scream, yell, cry, act like a total asshole, etc. And trust that I will still be loved.
Not the kind of stuff you want most people to know. But there ya go.
Guess I’m not much different from that little twerp.
And, I’m just guessing here. But my guess is…neither are you.
Okay, so maybe you don’t flip your ma the birdie — you’re missing out! But you likely have a less-functioning version of you at home. One that allows you to recharge. Recalibrate. And take on that cruel and unforgiving world and do big, challenging things. Like sit on Zoom calls for 5 hours a day.
So…
Keep rockin’ the sweats.
Keep eatin’ your cheese & pepperoni ‘za.
Keep throwin’ up your middle fangas.
And keep on keepin’ on. You’re safe and you’re loved.
—Lauren
Cupalo Conversations Podcast 🎙️:
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In this episode of Cupalo Conversations, host Lauren Hannon interviews Ally Hieronymus, a former pastry chef and culinary artist turned stay-at-home mom of five (soon to be six). Ally shares her heartfelt journey to embracing the joy and challenges of raising a large family in today’s world. They discuss the stigma that often surrounds moms of many children—how strangers make forward or rude comments about the number of kids and their close age gaps.
Ally opens up about her faith-driven approach to parenting, acknowledging her imperfections while surrendering to God's will. She reflects on the pros and cons of technology for modern parents, from building a supportive community to dealing with the pressure of feeling inadequate. Despite stepping away from her culinary career, Ally's passion for creativity now centers on raising her children to become the best people they can be.
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"...and do big, challenging things. Like sit on Zoom calls for 5 hours a day." - too funny I actually chuckled out loud;) Although, 5 hours of zoom is pretty damn challenging!