credit for Gordon

I want to dedicate this post to my father-in-law and his great wisdom. I hope he doesn't mind. Since Richard and I have been married I have been introduced to many Gordon-isms that I thought were clever but I didn't really understand. Now, as I have children of my own and they get older and find more ways to make parenting difficult I have come to really appreciate the meaning of his phrases.

Today one in particular really resonated with me. Cameron failed to get the toilet seat up in time and urinated all over the bathroom floor. After I finished my stern lecture Cameron said the famous words

"I didn't mean to."

In true Bird form, without even thinking I responded

"Well mean NOT to!"

I've heard that phrase over and over in mock tones from Richard and his family members but today when I said it I meant it with every desperate fiber of my motherly being.

Do whatever it is you need to to do to prevent that from happening. I understand that it was an accident but that doesn't mean you are without responsibility. You neglected to do what it was you were supposed to do in the first place.

I can already tell that I will be using this reply whenever one of my children dares utter the words

"I didn't mean to."