Since giving birth to Monkey over a year ago, I’ve had many “Aha” moments where it finally dawns on me why parents do the things they do.  Pre-Monkey, I had many opinions, questions and ideas about how my motherhood journey would be.   Post-Monkey, I realize that many of my notions were completely wrong, ill-informed and my questions have been answered — a good portion of them anyway.

For instance, this morning, Monkey and I went to the grocery store (one of at least three trips we make during any given week).  He was in a pretty good mood until near the end of our shopping trip.  He got a little cranky because it was nearing lunchtime.

As I put him into the car, I heard myself saying in a much higher pitched, sing-songy, almost fake voice, “Okay, I know you’re hungry but we have to get into the car seat first so we can go home.  It’s the law, you know!”  And I literally paused in the middle of what I was doing.

That high pitch, sing-songy, almost fake voice?  Yeah, it reminded me of a woman I saw while I was pregnant who was getting her toddler into the car.  I thought to myself, “Why is she talking like that? That can’t be her real voice.”

NOW I KNOW WHY.  Do you?

Well, here’s why I do it.  To mask the slow bubbling anger about a situation you can’t readily fix in the fashion your screaming toddler wishes.  It’s not his fault he’s hungry (although he could have ate more at breakfast than he did this morning).  He doesn’t understand that the car seat is a necessary evil designed to keep him safe.

I had another example which immediately came to mind when this realization occurred but darn it, I can’t think of it now.  If I do, I’ll update this post.  But I’m sure many of you have had these realizations as well.  If you feel like it, feel free to share.