My Kids are SUPER attached to me...

In my world, my kids are totally attached to me. They have stranger anxiety and separation anxiety. They can't stand if I leave the room for one second. They really need me and when I am away from them they whine to whoever they are with that they miss their dear mother so very much because she is their WORLD.

But my kids don't want to play along with my delusions.

My mom and dad told them they could spend the night Friday night. So Jessica looks at me and says "Mom, where are you going right now?" (we were all out eating lunch) And I said "well, Papa is driving me to our house and then we'll be home." And without missing a beat Jessica sweetly says, "okay mama, then we'll tell you Good-Bye." She was so happy about it. When I come pick them up from my mom and dad's they see me and start crying. They won't get their shoes and won't come with me when I tell them we are leaving. When they see the door to their preschool open, they are ALWAYS the first to run inside. Away from me. Without so much as a backward glance. For nursery at church, they drag me from the chapel toward their nursery class making me go faster and faster and they run inside without even telling me 'bye." And when we meet new people, they will literally RUN to them and give them a hug and a kiss. Granted, if I ask for a kiss I'll always get one, but this absolute ADORATION for others and their hunger to be away from me could give lesser mothers a complex. But not me. I choose instead of wondering about their love and devotion, to live in a state of denial. (It ain't just a river in Egypt - my friend Jody used to say) As long as they will sing the "when my mother calls me, quickly I'll obey" song to me everyday like a mantra, I'm A.O.K. (I make them sing it) And as long as they keep breaking out in choruses of the song "Mother, I love you, Mother I do!" all will be right in the world. (I make them sing that too) As long as they keep telling me I'm beautiful and cool and the prettiest mom in the world and that I'm their best "mom" friend" - I will continue to feed and shelter them. (yes, I might make them tell me these things.) I think a healthy sense of denial and delusion is good for mother/daughter relationships. Meanwhile, our mail-lady is delivering a package and the girls have invited her in for a tea party so I gotta go....