Meghan Riney, Rebekah Bailey Photography
If you’re struggling a bit with this new close-quarters life at home with your family, you’re not alone. Lake Highlands High graduate Meghan Richardson Riney admits her time sheltering in place with her husband, their three young sons and a golden retriever has been a challenge.
Riney, a former marketing director and business writer for Advocate Magazines, started a blog called “The Beauty-Filled Life” to capture her observations during the pandemic. This week, her post “Let’s Go Over Some Rules” was picked up by the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop and shared internationally. It’s reprinted below.
Dearest Sons,
Since it seems we are going to be contained in this house together for the foreseeable future—and because I think I may have actually roared today—I have decided it is time to, once again, review some rules of civility. By civility I simply mean if you would like to see more than the back of your bedroom doors, you will need to do this.
1.Don’t eat, lick, or mouth anything other than the food I serve you. I should not have to utter things like, “Quit eating my blanket,” “Don’t lick the dog,” and “We don’t eat out of the trash.”
2. Immediately following my hours-long cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, and floor-polishing is probably not the best time to attempt to eat popcorn using a chip clip. Why I still have hair chip clips is beside the point. I was a teenager of the ‘90s, and some things are harder to shake than others.
3. I understand that you may not always like what I cook, but that does not give you an excuse to eat chips all day and then tell me you aren’t full at meal times. Yes, my own cooking is making me physically ill, as well, and I believe my body is starting to reject it, however it is what we have. Do not make me tell you about starving children one more time. There are buzzards circling our house because my spirit is dying.
4. I should never walk into the room and see you drinking out of a wine glass. I don’t care if it’s just La Croix. It’s weird, wrong, dangerous, and just visually disturbing.
5. We, as humans, brush our teeth regardless of what we are doing that day. That is all.
6. I don’t care if you found a balloon in the closet; we do not play with balloons, EVER! They are the devil’s playthings. They lead to nothing but fighting, crying, loud noises, and potential choking. Years ago, y’all got a balloon with a string wrapped around the ceiling fan in our bedroom. Now, if we would like some extra air in our room, dad and I have to give the fan a running start like we’re hand-starting a prop plane.
7. Dragging your little brother around the house by his feet is not “playing train.” I don’t care if you call it the “Baby Express.”
8. FLUSH
9. When I’m in my room and you ask me if I would like my door shut, I will assume you need to talk to Jesus about what you are about to do.
10. When I’m working out in the living room, I don’t need your help. If I had wanted to do goat yoga, I would have signed up for it years ago.
Finally, know that dad and I love you with our whole hearts. When all of this is over, we will know each other even better, treasure these moments together, praise God for his grace and immediately order a deep cleaning.
Love,
Mom
