Stay-at-Home Parents

Did you have a good Mother's Day? Did you awake to the sound of orange juice being sloshed out of the Dora Explorer mug onto your new white bedspread? Did you walk into the kitchen to the smell of bacon being fused onto your Mauviel skillet? Is your family sized roll of scotch tape all used up on wrapping a paperback book?

Mother's Day: The one day you really would rather do it yourself, but the one day you bite your tongue and let your husband and children cook for you, wait on you and shower you with gifts - in essence, pretend that they're the mom.

It's hard to reverse roles, isn't it? They seem to be perfectly comfortable having you do all the work 364 days of the year, but when it's your turn to be Queen for a Day, it's difficult for Mom to become the servee.

I had a good Mother's Day. My son at college called to wish me a Happy Mother's Day, my middle son made my a hilarious card, and my daughter cleaned off the top of her dresser. (Joy of joys! Shock of shocks!) My husband bought me a new iPod.

I didn't get breakfast in bed, but that's OK. Really, it's OK. And we had some company so I made dinner myself that night. But at the end of the day, my husband and kids helped clear the table, wash dishes and clean up the kitchen, while I sat with my feet up, playing with my new toy.

Another Mother's Day come and gone, and now we're back to normal, where Mom's in charge.