What Do You Do All Day?

What do you do all day?  I don’t know if girls ask this question, but boys certainly do.  And no other question sets off fireworks faster.

Usually halfway to school, “Oh, I forgot my science book.  Can you bring it to school?”  Or, substitute homework assignment, folder, project or lunch for science book.  When they get a little older it sounds more like, “I have behind the wheel and I forgot my wallet with my license.  Can you run it up to the school?”

I have on occasion brought the wanted item to them, but only if I was going that direction anyway.  When I don’t, it inevitably brings up the comment, “Well, why can’t you?  I mean, what do you do all day?”  I’m reminded of Richard Gere in Pretty Woman and his confusion over the girls he dates that refuse to be his “Beck and Call Girls.”

Admittedly, there are days when I’m not sure what I did all day.  I know I was busy, but can’t actually see any evidence that I was productive.  Why is that?  Sometimes it’s because I’m running errands.   Grocery store, Sams Club, pet store for crickets for the lizard (maybe I should make the boys go outside and catch some crickets for Harry–that would go over well, don’t you think?) dry cleaners.  Suddenly it’s time to go home and start dinner, and I’m thinking, why did that take all day?

Then there are the days where I am home doing laundry, dishes, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning toilets, sinks and bathrooms in general.  I have to say, it surprises me when they wonder aloud what I did all day when the evidence seems pretty clear to me.  But why should I be surprised they don’t notice the house it clean?  They don’t seem to notice when it’s dirty either.  Something that makes me laugh is the fact that Roo thinks vacuuming once a week is excessive, obsessive cleaning.

I haven’t heard this litany much lately, so maybe it’s a phase–a season as I’m so fond of calling them.  Like winter, I’m glad this season is over.

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