Working "The One Thing Dad Asked of YOU" Speech

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Again as if in a scene from a "deployed military family" TV show/movie I acted out a real classic a few days ago. The tired mommy/wife lecture scene. You know the one, the "The one thing, the only thing, your dad asked you to do while he was away on deployment was to help me around the house. Do you have any idea how much I do every day? How much I have to do for you, for the house, the cars, your dad, our family, plus work every day? You could help out a little bit more, clean up your underwear off the floor, walk your dishes to the sink without being asked five times, put trash in the actual trash can instead of dropping near the trash can....."

I performed mine with a rousing outpouring of crocodile tears at the end for good effect. When I started crying, which I was not planning on, I knew it would only be seconds before she started crying too. By the time I was walking out of the room she was sobbing. "When you cry it makes me cry." I could hear her saying, then a few giant sobs came from her room by the time I reached the living room. My little one is quite a bit younger than Miss Emmalin Holden, but you get the picture, right?

What a cliche I've become. I swear every show about a military family has a scene that has come from my real life or one that will undoubtedly happen within two weeks tops. I've been re-watching Army Wives on Netflix and I swear to you every serious conversation that happens on that show between any of the couples is one this couple has had in real life. It's like they're following us or writing the script of where we're headed. The same thing with Married To The Army: Alaska. The couples in that show, each episode, were literally just weeks ahead of us in the deployment process. I learned everything I needed to know about R and R from those ladies.

I'll tell you that my speech, which I never want to use again, was incredibly effective. The rest of the evening went quite smoothly. We'll see how things go, going forward. And yes, Dad got an email detailing the events, so he can encourage a little more effort on some things the next time they talk. Just because we're apart doesn't mean we're not still totally on the same page with the parenting.

He's awesome that way. If there is one place we are super blessed to be totally on the same page it's in the parenting department. I know he has my back and he knows I have his. We are almost in ditto speak when it comes to what we want and think should be done in that department. Lucky there. And I have to say I love that every military dad I've ever crossed paths with, in real life or on TV, when talking to their kids before deployment has said "I expect you to help you mother while I'm gone." Good daddies!

So even if we are a total cliche military family in some ways, we're making it. We know we can do it. And we'll do whatever we have to do to thrive...even if it's a military wife/mom classic like "What was the one thing your dad asked you to do before he deployed" speech.

Okay mamas, have you used this speech? If so, how many times? Did it work?