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Mama In The Now

Boy Mom Life With Humor and Hygge

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Pen > Paper > Heart: Dear Neighbor

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There are affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations.

Dear Neighbor,

When they say that having a child changes everything, it turns out they mean everything. Not just the obvious stuff—your priorities, your sleep schedule—but also unexpected things, including the way you relate to the people across the street.

With that in mind, I’ve made you a list of the thoughts I have whenever I see you getting your mail or mowing your grass—things I think but will probably never say due to the fact that there’s a 30-lb toddler hanging off my arm and bits of Play Doh stuck in my hair.

A collection of letters from the heart - to the heart!

A collection of letters from the heart – to the heart!

 

  • I’m sorry I ruined your beautiful view with the gigantic swing set I put in the backyard. But I’m really not sorry because I can’t get enough of the joy on my son’s face when he flies down that sliding board—not to mention the exhaustion he feels from scaling the climbing wall fourteen times in a row. Who knew having a play set would help everyone sleep better? I personally think it’s worth losing your backyard view, and hope you agree.
  • I know I haven’t been very neighborly since that whole giving birth thing happened. Mr. Rogers would be ashamed, I’m sure. But I promise I haven’t permanently replaced my friendly smile with a frustrated scowl or my leisurely chats with rushed hellos and goodbyes. It’s just that I usually see you first thing in the morning or at the end of a long workday—neither of which are my best times.

Dear Neighbor

  • You probably heard that hair-raising scream at 8:00am yesterday, and might be wondering the cause. It was because I said my two-year-old couldn’t have cookies for breakfast. How dare I?
  • I see how carefully you pull in and out of your driveway since my little one started running around, always double-checking to make sure he didn’t scurry towards your tires. I appreciate that extra care more than you know!
  • Every time you tell me how cute, sweet, and well behaved you find my boy, I smile politely, say thank you, and move on with my day. So you might think your compliment went in one ear and out the other. Trust me, it didn’t. Your thoughtful comments have given me sustenance when I was starving, energy when I was dragging, and encouragement when I was defeated—and for that I am always grateful.

When I see you, I often think of the line in Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” that reads, “Good fences make good neighbors.” I beg to differ. Good people make good neighbors, and you’re one of the best.

Sincerely,

Your [crazy, busy, totally flawed but also really genuine] neighbor

p.s. I promise I won’t ask you to feed my cats during our next family vacation!

K McLaughlin Head Shot

Katie Markey McLaughlin, M.S. is a freelance journalist and blogger, plus mama to a very energetic toddler. Read more of her mama ramblings at Pick Any Two, a parenting site for moms who can do anything, but not everything.

Filed Under: Motherhood, Parenting Tagged With: Letter, live in the now, Toddlerhood

Comments

  1. Katie @ Pick Any Two says

    September 30, 2014 at 8:39 AM

    Thanks so much for featuring me here! I love your letter series, and I’m glad I could be a part of it!

    • Mama in the Now says

      September 30, 2014 at 2:35 PM

      Thank you so much for sharing – and I love your ability to put a spin on things – allowing us to view the world from a different angle.

  2. Experienced Bad Mom (@ExperBadMom) says

    September 30, 2014 at 8:54 AM

    Sounds like you’ve got good neighbors, which is worth its weight in gold! Glad you appreciate them!

  3. Abby says

    September 30, 2014 at 12:58 PM

    Love this, Katie! It’s great to see you here. I can so relate. Every time I see my neighbor I’m either rushing out the door or parked at the bus stop, where I give a friendly wave, but rarely have time to chat. Still, I appreciate them so much! And I love Robert Frost, but I have to agree with you on that one. Wonderful post.

    • Katie @ Pick Any Two says

      October 1, 2014 at 2:54 PM

      I so wish I had the time or energy to be a better neighbor! Maybe years from now, when my son is older, I can make up for it…

  4. tamaralikecamera says

    September 30, 2014 at 11:43 PM

    This is funny because we live in the woods, but we do have a few neighbors. It’s a hike to get to them but I remember not seeing them for such a long time after Des was born! I wasn’t very neighborly at all.
    They’re wonderful, though.

  5. Tarana Khan says

    October 2, 2014 at 7:31 AM

    Ah, Mending Wall just came rushing back to my head! I worry about my neighbours too because they have to endure some uncalled-for screaming as well.

  6. Tara Newman says

    October 3, 2014 at 5:57 PM

    Good neighbors are a true blessing. We are very fortunate to have some wonderful people living around us. I love how you say “good people make good neighbors.”

I am a Danish American mom of four boys parenting with heart, humor and hygge. Join me on this crazy ride. You will laugh more than you’d expect!

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