Disillusionment--A 'Real Life' Post

[borgmama1of5]

I had not realized that my daughters--well, one of them anyway--still believed that I was omnipotent.

My 20-yr-old who lives in Nashville is using her big sister's car while her sister is on a 30-day tour with her band. I am at work when my cell rings, and because my kids usually don't call during work hours, I answered wondering what was going on.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mom, where does Sarah keep the tire jack in her trunk?"

She is in Nashville looking in the car trunk. I am in Chicago sitting at my office desk. But she called because, as her mom, I am supposed to know these things.

Much to my chagrin, however, I did not have the answer. As a matter of fact I believe I said something along the lines of, "How the heck would I know?"

Much later in the day it was determined that the tire jack was in the trunk of Sarah's other car. However Adrienne managed to change the flat tire by borrowing a jack from someone else in the parking lot.

BTW, this is the same daughter that called at 1 am several weeks ago to inform me hysterically that there was an enormous roach in her apartment and ask me what to do. Clearly my advice that time, to trap it under a cup and get her brother-in-law from across the street, was sound enough advice to keep my 'mom-as-wise-fountain-of-all-knowledge' standing intact up to the tire jack call. Sadly I have probably lost my reputation after not knowing where the tire jack was.

Comments

[ariadnes-string.livejournal.com]

But you taught your daughter to be able to change her tire by herself! this proves that you are a god(ess)! I think if my mother had taught me this (been able to teach me this) my life would be vastly different--and vastly better.

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

I cannot take credit for that. My girls were homeschooled under an umbrella school (Clonlara) that required them to take a written essay exam to to graduate high school. Part of the exam was to explain five things that every teen should know before graduating, and she included how to check the car's oil and change a tire as part of her requirements. So she made her dad show her.

Although I will concede that I did raise her--all of them--to be very practical :)

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Yes, you are clearly still the all-knowing Momma Bear, right?? I too am impressed that at least she knew how to change the tire by herself. I would have had to stand there looking sweet and helpless.

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Um, I have stood around looking helpless...but it was when my girls were too young to know how to do it for me...

[beckieb.livejournal.com]

Lol, at 24 I still call my mum if I don't know where something is! It seems that's what mum's are for - they must magically know where everything is kept!

And I don't think you've lost your reputation just yet, she'll probably think it was just a fluke or you were having an off day! ;)

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hope you're right, that she writes it off as a fluke--having the reputation of being all-knowing is such an ego-boost! :)

[mizra.livejournal.com]

Aw, I think I did my mother the same way with something of my brother's. I thought all mothers were omnipotent and knew everything and anything. Eyes in the back of the head and all that. ;)

You are still yet a fount of knowledge. Just wait until another 'crisis' occurs. Daughters will call. We always do.

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

"Eyes in the back of the head"

and 'because I'm the mom, that's why!' :)

[mizra.livejournal.com]

'because I'm the mom, that's why!'

I've heard that more times than I count! lol

[micaiah67.livejournal.com]

That is too hilarious! I have the same thing with my daughter who is 23. I'm supposed to treat her like a grown-up but when her cat kills a mouse and leaves part of it laying there it's like, OMG Mom, what do I do? Um, gee, let me see.....clean it up!! :)

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Yep, one never completely stops being a mom :)

[glorious-spoon.livejournal.com]

You know, my 22 (almost 23) year old brother was living with me for a couple of months while he finished school, and I'd get calls at least once a week at work asking things like 'how do I turn the dryer on?' and 'there's putrid yogurt in the fridge, what should I do with it?'

On the other hand, he was a compulsive cookie baker, so there was an upside...:P

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

As far as sibling stories...Okay, follow this carefully:

Erica in Chicago is booking a plane ticket to take her little sister Adrienne, who lives in Nashville, to Costa Rica as a present for her 21st birthday. In the middle of the reservation process she needs Adrienne's passport info.

However Adrienne is at work. Erica calls big sister who lives across the street from Adrienne. However big sis is in another state with her band.

Big sis calls her husband, tells him exactly where little sis has her passport, he walks across the street, calls Erica back in Chicago and reads it to her.

Ticket successfully booked.

Wonder who they learned that from? :D

[glorious-spoon.livejournal.com]

LOL. I had to read that three times before it made any sense.

[agent-jl36.livejournal.com]

HAAA!! That cracked me up!

I am 100% behind her on the bug - snakes and mice I can handle, but anything with more than 4 legs makes me gag!

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the shriek she gave as she was trying to drop the cup on it and it moved--don't think I needed the phone to hear it...

[(Anonymous)]

So, at 28, I believe I called you not very long ago asking where something was from when you helped me move a year-and-a-half ago. :)

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

And I do believe I told you where it was. :D

I am good, aren't I.

[twobrknot.livejournal.com]

Moms (and teenagers) know everything. Please do not blow our cover.
(Teen moms - scary concept.)

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Moms and teenagers do know everything--execpt everything they know is contradictory...

Enjoy your omnipotence while it lasts!

[sandymg.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Roaches. She's brave. You are super mom, no question about it. :)

And I am amazed by the tire changing. Wow. I hate pumping my own gas :)

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

She didn't learn how to change a tire from me...

[daisychains1957]

lol kids, who would have them - but rhen who wouldn't :))))

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Yes, just last night I spent 35 minutes calming her down enough to catch a spider in her bedroom that her cat was too stupid to notice...

[c-is-for.livejournal.com]

I love this story. I totally refuse to believe that there's stuff my mother doesn't know, and I'm in my late 20s. :P

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Well then, kudos to your mom for convincing you of her superpowers! :)