I had to go away for work last week.  Again.  A part of me was dreading leaving all my “Cubs” behind for three nights.  A part of me was exhausted from a hectic weekend at home and the prep work involved in leaving for a few days – dinner plans, lunch box options, laundry, play dates, notes to the sitter, notes to my husband, even notes to self!  And then, as we attempted to enjoy a civilized Sunday supper and I had to reprimand Ciara for spitting in Liam’s milk and the triplets for feeding the dog, I realized that a part of me was also kind of, well, psyched. 

While I would have long days full of meetings, clients and demands, I was virtually guaranteed that I could eat a meal without flying food or leaving the table to enforce a time out.  As I looked around at the mayhem I was about to leave behind and thought about the relative peace that a business trip would provide, I had to wonder yet again, am I a Bad Mommy?

A few phone calls during the week would suggest that I am.  To share just a few examples:
•    We had no cold cuts for Liam’s lunch.  I had left cooked chicken nuggets (made at 7AM Monday morning!), thinking that might make me a Good Mommy.  But it didn’t.  I’m told that as my husband cleared the chicken nuggets out of the backpack, my sincere kindergartener whined,  “I told Mom I didn’t want chicken nuggets!”  Which is true, but I couldn’t come up with an alternative before I raced to the airport.  Which makes me not only a Bad Mommy but a Bad Listener and clearly, a Bad Grocery Shopper!
•    The next two days, Liam arrived home from kindergarten with wet pants.  The kid hasn’t peed in his pants in a while.  When asked why, he announced without hesitation “because I miss Mommy.”  Enough said, right?
•    Last but not least, I forgot about an early closing and that the poor kid would be arriving home on the bus at 11:30 instead of 2:30.  Man, if I ended up alone at the bus stop, I just might wet my pants too!
There were a few other minor issues… I ran out of time over the weekend to get our triplet stroller repaired, leaving my sitter in a lurch. I hadn’t anticipated the sudden (early!) arrival of summer and ninety degree temperatures so all the kids sweltered in too-heavy pjs and scrambled for shorts and t-shirts. 

Despite it all though, when I finally got home, weary from an intense work week, I was greeted by smiles, hugs, and if I do say so myself, even a few jumps for joy.  My tots most certainly weren’t holding a grudge about my absence or the things I forgot… which made me think maybe I’m not such a Bad Mommy after all. Just don’t tell them how much I enjoyed my fancy client dinners!

Kerry Lyons blogs at The Lyons Den.