Even as a professional and private writer, I find myself wishing I wrote more stuff down about my kids so someday when I'm a nostalgic, old lady, I can torture myself. That said, I managed to scribble down a few things here and there, so here's a peek into what's been going on in my "mom life."
1. "Does This Hurt?" The boys have a new game called "Does This Hurt?" It already sounds like a bad idea, doesn't it? Basically they like to squeeze each other's arms from very softly to with all their might, and ask, "Does this hurt?" each time they squeeze. They also play this game by pinching each other. I have this vague memory of biting my own hand as a kid, trying to find my pain boundary, which is a similar concept. I think (?) this sort of thing is important and normal, but it's only a hoot until someone ends up with a fiery, uber-squeezed arm.
2. The washing of the rocks. Recently, I read an online list of ways to occupy little kids, and "washing rocks" was on the list. This instantly made sense to me because my guys, like most little people, love to play in water. Plus, rocks change colors when they're wet. So, we collected a bunch of rocks by the river and since then, they have become fanatical rock washers (and dryers). It sounds like something one might do just after watching grass grow, but hey, it buys me enough time to read my e-mail.
3. Amateur jousting. I agreed to buy the boys toy swords after they begged for them at every festival and fair we've attended in the past two years. This was a big deal for me, because I grew up in a household so anti-gun that I wasn't allowed to own a squirt gun. Although I lightened up on the toy weapon thing, I still don't want to witness lots of violent imaginative play. However, I don't think I have too much to worry about, because when I asked Levi what he was going to do with his new toy sword, he said, "I think I'll stick it in my belly button." Hmmm …
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
