A couple of days ago I was collecting my son, or "The Boy" as Lauren always called him, from Chorley after a cinema trip with friends. Half way home I glanced over and realised he was struggling, emotionally. I asked him how he was feeling and he said "I'm alright Mum, it's just that Sundays are hard"
I thought about what he said. I guess it's pretty obvious really, Sunday is traditionally a family day, but I'd never really thought about specific days being more difficult than others.
Sundays in our house were often spent in full pyjama mode, interspersed with me chiding them to get homework done & rooms tidied. Quite often the youngest would have football matches to go to. We'd both go & watch leaving Lauren & her brother at home where they would invariably raid the biscuit barrel and make themselves super noodles for lunch, always in a wok for authenticity, the remnants left in the kitchen to greet us on our return.
I remember one fateful occasion, I'm not sure if it was mine of the Husbands birthday, but Lauren attempted to re-create something she had made in home economics. I can't remember exactly what it was, but I know it involved flour. The first warning signs came with the flour footstep on the back step. The kitchen was carnage... there was flour on the ceilings, the cupboard doors, on every surface. Possibly worse was all the watery smears where they had attempted to clean it up. We were blazing, Lauren was mortified as she just wanted to make us a nice surprise! When we'd calmed down we did manage to thank her for the thoughtfulness, but made her promise to stick to toast & a brew next time!
And now he finds Sundays hard.
What can I say to that? As a Mum I've always tried to ease the pain, whether it was a grazed knee from falling off a bike, or upsets due to arguments with friends, I've always had the words to make it better. But what happens when it isn't something that can be cured with a wet paper towel, when there are no words, when all I can do is give them a hug and let them know I understand, but I can't make it better. In that moment it is really hard to bear.
But the moment passes, and in the way of kids he is quickly laughing & joking about something else.
And the world keeps turning.
