Expect then Unexpected

If there is one piece of parenting advice that I can give – it is to expect the unexpected.  You are never as prepared as you think you are – in a good way, or in a bad way – for what life will throw at you.

My example this week was a trip to the International Wildlife Museum.  I thought it would be great fun to take the boys out there (which is quite a drive for us, since we live East of Houghton) and let them hunt around.  They love hunting for things, which is part of what makes trips to the hunting/fishing stores such good fun, but we don’t make it out to IWM very often.  Well, I got us ready to go on Monday; small water bottles packed – we were going to be inside after all, and I was looking pretty cute.  On the way out to the Museum the boys were watching a movie on the DVD player and I was having a very interesting conversation with my mother.  So interesting that I missed the turn-off for the museum.  Well, there is really nowhere to turn around until you are through Gate’s Pass, so we pulled in the first scenic overlook there on just on the other side.  It was then I decided to change our plans.  We were so much closer to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, and we have a membership, and it was a nice, overcast day.  I convinced the boys that we should do the ASDM instead, and we would do the IWM on a day that would be hotter.  Miraculously everyone was OK with this idea.  So, we continued the drive and found a great parking space at the ASDM. 

Because we live in the desert, we had our bucket hats and sunscreen with us in the car and we headed off.  When we got to the entrance, we discovered our membership had lapsed – no big deal, we renewed our family membership and headed in.  We love the ASDM and do go there a few times a year.  But we’ve never been at 10 AM in July, and there is a reason for that.  The heat moved in as the clouds rolled out.  The boys had a wonderful time, but it really was more of a struggle for me.  I was hot, sticky, tired, thirsty (since we didn’t pack enough water, I gave mine to the kids and refilled my bottle at the fountains as needed, but I was very thirsty!) and grumpy.

Later that evening, I was thinking back on my day and how disappointed I was with my reaction to the circumstances.  The kids look back and think “Mom took us to the Desert Museum, and it was awesome!” but I have been looking back on it and thinking “I really could have handled that with more grace.”  My main problem?  I didn’t follow my own advice.  I let the change-up in our plans throw me and instead of adapting and rolling with the punches, I grumbled my way through some beautiful desert and amazing animals.  But you can’t dwell on the past too much.  Accept it, acknowledge your shortcomings, and move on, determined to try harder the next time around.  Today is our trip to the International Wildlife Museum. 

Today I won’t miss the turnoff, and I will make sure that I try to center my focus on spending time and having fun with my kids – no matter where we end up!