Recipe for a Happy Parent

1) Patience

2) Wonder

3) Friends

4) Bugs, birds, and butterflies

5) More yes than no

With a lot of help
I raised three humans to adulthood,
and emerged with my sanity intact.

Patience was required throughout,
the main ingredient for weathering
each whine and fidget,
all tantrums and tears,
every bit of angst
and sticky embraces.

Outside was our salvation,
a blue outdoors our refuge,
a grey one our charged entertainment.

Friends would come and go,
imparting life lessons
on their own paths to elsewhere.
Birds, bugs, butterflies, and books
awaited curious minds
and grubby hands,
far more lasting
an impression to make.

A “yes,” and a “yes”
for most “mama, may I . . .?”s
eased them on their way,
more honey than vinegar
the potion to cure
so many childhood ills.

I ached for those days
when they ended,
far more than those now
grown babes,
until the day
a red, squalling grandson
was placed in my arms.

A new chance was given
to practice patience
through whines and fidgets,
tantrums and tears,
angst and sticky embraces,
as I and my fuzzy headed partner
read, ramble,
wonder, and roam.

Tracy Plath