mom of the year

I've been trying to cut the cord with the kids a bit. They're 8 and 5, so I don't really need to be the helicopter parent that I once was.

I was at Jo-ann's with the kids the other day, and we had just gotten in line when BK announced that he had to go to the bathroom. Of course.

The line was too long, and I never thought he'd make it, so I asked Bug to take BK to the bathroom. "Walk him to the bathroom, wait outside for him, and then come back," I warned. Bug was excited to have this new responsibility, and happily trotted off with BK.

I was still in line when I saw BK walking towards me, alone and crying. "C'mere, Baby," I said. "What happened?"

"I was alone and couldn't find you!" BK cried.

I calmed BK down and waited for Bug to return. I wasn't worried. It's not like it was the mall. I don't know, how is different from leaving them alone at school every day? I figured Bug had gotten distracted by something shiny.

We were almost to the front of the line when I caught a glimpse of Bug. She was still standing by the bathrooms. She was pacing and looking towards where I standing in line. She looked nervous. I smiled. Cute kid.

When it was my turn to pay, I asked the cashier if she could page my daughter. "Bug, please come up to the front register," the checker said into the loud speaker. "Your mother is waiting for you."

Bug came up to me in full panic mode, sobbing. "Mom! I don't know where he went! I was waiting for him, and I can't find him! Help!"

"Bug, it's ok," I soothed. "BK is here with me."

And then she REALLY started crying. "I was so worried, and I knew you were going to be so mad!"

"It's fine now, it's ok. But what happened? How come you didn't see him walk out of the bathroom?"

It turns out that Bug needed to go to the bathroom,  too. So when she came out of the bathroom and saw that BK wasn't outside, she figured he was still in there, so she waited. Meanwhile, BK must have gotten out while she was still in there, and made his way to me.

"Well, it's all ok, so let's go home. We've caused enough drama here today."

Bug took a deep breath and tried to stop crying. "Can I say goodbye to Miss Diane first?"

"Miss Diane? Who the heck is that?"

And then I looked up, and into the judging eyes of the church children's director.

Crap.