I am MOM, Hear Me ROAR

Is it a crime that I don't mind being the main enforcer in our family about 95% of the time? There are times when it is more than painful:

Stay close to me.

Walk on the other side of me on the sidewalk.

Watch out! There may be cars! Hold my hand, please.

Don't touch that.

Please don't crawl around on the floor of Target. Please!

Listen to mommy.

I'd prefer to say these types of things instead of "no" all the time. I don't feel it is too positive to say so much. But there are also pleasant times that you wouldn't think would be exactly pleasant.

Like when a child is going off to night-night land and suddenly upchucks all over their bed. Generally the first thing out of their mouth is "MOM!" I come running. I clean it up. I make it better. Or, I can be brought to the point of "if you do that ONE more time, you are getting a time out." Of course the child tests the limits and the time-out must be taken seriously. The crying can be excrutiating, but I am the one that in the end receives the "I'm sorry" along with the hug and the kiss that suddenly becomes a somewhat newfound closeness between me and my child.

I'm not exactly the fun one, though I do have my moments. I tickle. I joke. I play. But, I make sure that rules are followed, that something is almost always learned, that hugs and kisses are given on a more than as-needed basis. Enforcer. Caregiver. Teacher. And so many other things. Even though it can be an overwhelming at-times responsibility, I am MOM.