No - Not My Sleep!

Mothers sort of occupy the status of almost-person in their children's eyes.  We are never supposed to raise our voices or want the last cookie.  We are required to rejoice over ever crayon mark our offspring makes on a piece of paper.

And sleep - sleep is one of the things children take first, even while they are not yet breathing on their own.  This taking of sleep is the way they almost convince us that maybe we aren't human.  Even when they are 12.

Molly wants independence, space, time to herself.  She has discovered the possibility of the hours before 6 a.m.  A few problems with this.  She shares a room with Anna. No one wants Anna up before 6.  Biscuit (yes, Biscuit, don't you judge me) sleeps in their room too.  I don't want Biscuit bugging me first thing in the morning either.

My alarm goes off at 6.  At 5:30, Molly shook my arm to ask me if she could get up.  She came in 2 or 3 more times. For nothing important.  She did not catch anything on fire or hurt herself.

I don't mind her getting up early.  But I don't want to be involved in any way.  I'll get up with her when she's sick, has a bad dream, but not to rejoice with her when she beats my rhythm boxing score on the Wii before 6 a.m.