You sort of expect this when your kids are toddlers – the whole “I can’t take a shower” common mom complaint. I remember turning to Sesame Street as my saving grace in the mornings just so I could take a shower and finally get to feel the new Rheem water heater that the rest of my family gets a chance to enjoy whenever they please.

My kids are much older now: 13, 12, 10, and 9, yet somehow they still have this weird kid radar that goes off every single time I hop in the shower. Nobody will need me for a while and I’ll think, “Great time for a shower.” In I go. It never fails. The moment I lock the door and step inside I hear a persistent knock. It’s like something goes off in their heads that says, “Super! Mom’s in the shower. This is the perfect time to ask her where I put my math book.”

Generally these conversations go like this:

Kid: Moooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!

Me: (maybe if I don’t answer they will realize that the locked door and sound of running water means I’m in the shower)

Kid: Mooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me: (going to try this again: _______________ )

Kid: Moooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!

Me (yelling over the water): WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Kid: alkjslkja sdssljl mmmmfppph sd

Me: I CAN’T HEAR YOU. I’M IN THE SHOWER!

Kid: rrrsjsoos smmmmm;flss

Me: I STILL CAN’T HEAR YOU. CAN YOU WAIT 10 MINUTES?

Kid: Silence

Me: (Do we really have to do this every single time I take a shower?)

==============

And I wonder – at what point do kids stop thinking this is a great time to have an important conversation with Mom? Because I sort of thought it would have happened by now.