Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Chocolate Milk and Cheetos


Well, I think I may have heard it all. I am shocked a bit, and as a foster care mom, you may think it is hard to shock me. You hear such unbelievable stories from and about birth parents. As one social worker told me, as she tried to defend her decision to send a child back to a parent who was seriously lacking in any skills and resources to take of a child let alone herself,

"we can't expect these moms to have the same parenting skills as you do, and what we may think is bad parenting may just be their parenting style"

So what was so shocking? I spoke to M's mom today. She called me on my cell. M moved in on Friday, five days ago. Her mom has been in a rehab center and must have just got calling privileges.

M's mom seemed really sincere in our conversation and was grateful to me for taking care of her daughter. Actually said she appreciated my family for helping her out.

Then she started to share little parenting secrets. You know, those wee little gems that other experienced moms share at the park, and you then share with others. Something you will pass down to friends, sisters, and eventually your own daughters.

So how does M love to wake up and spend her morning? She was about to tell me a gem.

M loves to have chocolate milk in the morning. She even gave me her recipe.

"Buy the chocolate syrup and squeeze a ton of it in the milk"

Simple enough.

She said M loves it and will "lap it up."

M will sometimes take a morning nap then. I didn't have the heart to tell her that this was a sugar induced coma.

And now her mom dares to share her secret for a good breakfast. You guessed it.

Cheetos. She actually said that M's favorite breakfast is chocolate milk and cheetos. Loves it!

Cheerios?? I wanted to ask, but the mom was clear. She hadn't misspoke.

So there you have it. You may be surprised to know that I have decided not to give M chocolate milk and cheetos for breakfast. I just can't, no matter how much she loves it.

Hey, that wouldn't be fair to my bio kids who still eat unsweetened cereals and bread with actual wheat flour.

~Susan

Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying.
~Fran Lebowitz

1 comments:

Jennifer said...

I am rolling on the floor about this story. So, will there be an aunt, gramma, etc.. picking M up? We see what the birth mom is doing. She may be tied up detoxing from those Cheetos and choco milk. Great story.. =) Love you..