Orange we the cutest?

“Mom, can I have a snack?”

“Dinner’s in an hour, so you can have fruit or vegetables.”

With an overly dramatic sigh, my son slumps his shoulders and goes back to playing with Legos. Hungry, but not hungry enough for healthy food. Another son asks me the same snack question, receives the same produce answer, fishes an apple out of the fridge, and sits at the table to munch on it. I put water on to boil and open the pantry door in search of spaghetti sauce. A bag of chocolate covered almonds catches my eye. I’m suddenly hungry and reach for the bag.

Smile! Some-bunny’s delicious.

Dinner’s in an hour, so you can have fruit or vegetables. My own words echo in my mind and my hand hesitates, fingers inches away from crunchy chocolate goodness. I know I shouldn’t “spoil my dinner”, but I really want to. It would be so much easier if I was a child and my mother was here to tell me “no” like I told my son. I laugh and shake my head. I like being a grown up and I don’t want someone—even someone I love as much as my mother—to tell me what and when to eat.

I’m not a child, but maybe I should treat myself like one when need be. I need to BYOM: Be Your Own Mother.

“Only one cookie, Sweetie. Take smaller bites.”

“You’ve had enough, dear.”

“Go outside and play.”

“Bed time! You need your rest.”

“Get your finger out of your nose!”

A mother takes care of you, reminds you what’s best for you, and implement limits. This Mother’s Day show your mom you love her, then take a little time to BYOM. You can even make yourself breakfast in bed.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)