Yesterday was blissful.
I look forward to April Fool’s Day all year long. I don’t know when the prankster bug bit me, but bite me it did. Let me just say, however, that my pranks are harmless, silly, and almost always aimed at my kids.
Adult friends are often intrigued by my enthusiasm for this day of hoaxes. That’s not surprising. April 1st tends to lose its magic at about the time one grows into the age of responsibility and cinicism. By turning the calendar page to April, the reality of the dreaded tax deadline looms. I, for one, think that is one very good reason for “foolishness.”
That’s not the real reason for my annual April hijinks, though. It’s really all about making memories. One day, my children will reflect on their childhoods and, like every mother, I want to earn their esteem and build memories that will warm their hearts long after I am gone. Sure, I hope they will remember the nightly story and snuggle times, the living room picnics, the secret winks, and the endless special moments we share. Naturally, I aim to be a good, devoted, loving Mom.
I know one day, when they are parents, they will appreciate me for the caregiver I am. But, I want them to remember me as a personality, too. For the rest of their lives, April 1st will mean more than a calendar day for them. J will remember the time Mom got up at 2am with a needle and thread to transform the contents of his dresser into a mile-long garland of underwear and socks. Hopefully, he’ll laugh when he remembers that I “stole” his car from a parking lot, or when a prank backfired on me when I wrapped his toilet in saran wrap. Not recommended!
Second-grader, E, has graduated to the role of lone prank victim in my home because big brother is away at college. His anticipation of April Fool’s Day was fantastic! Now he has his own memories of the silly side of Mom. He’ll remember waking up with painted finger nails and toe nails in a bed that moved across the room while he slept. And the shock of his bedroom doorway sealed with saran wrap, and the rubber snake slithering from his bathtub, and certainly the brick he found in his lunchbox at school (I was waiting close by with a camera and food.)
And today, I am proud. Young son is becoming an April Fool’s protege. While I was out of the room, E switched the contents of the orange juice and milk jugs. Atta boy!
So, there you go. Call me a fool, I don’t mind. While the tax man still cometh and the bills pile up, our family will have the last laugh.
Quote For the Day: “I remain just one thing, and one thing only- and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.” –Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977)
