Someone Dropped The "B" Bomb

I knew it would happen... someday. "I wish I lived with my birth mother!"

Said this afternoon by a child in utter exasperation, after a long conversation about computer time and computer privileges. It came out as child was stomping up the stairs. And for all my fears about that phrase, it didn't ruffle my feathers at all. Given the circumstances leading up to the blowout, it was said in total frustration and was really no different than saying, "I want to live with Grandma" or "I want to live somewhere else." Because certainly we are the only house in the universe with rules about the computer. Every other kid in the world gets to stare endlessly at inappropriate games on the screen while drinking straight Coca-Cola and shoving candy in their mouths. Why do my children continue to believe the lie that we are the only parents who have rules? Who is feeding them this propaganda?

Of course I refrained from saying, "Go ahead!" because that would not be a good mothering moment. Right now I am letting the child cool off, and we will talk about it later. But secretly I am glad to have that phrase out of the closet and in the open, and I don't have to worry about "someday" anymore.