Lyssa Castellanos and the Great Impromptu Pool Party and how it made me a better mom

Last January, I got a text from one of the moms in my posse. It read: Henry told me that Annabelle is having a pet show at her house on Saturday. That she is passing out a sign up sheet and is having a meeting for decorations and that he needs to be at your house on Saturday morning at 9 to help set up. Just thought you should know.

Yeah thanks, because I did not know.

And it made me chuckle because it reminded me of my family's favorite Lyssa Castellanos Story, a story that 30 plus years later still makes us laugh. And it goes like this:

My parents get a call one Saturday. It is Lyssa. She is about 7. She says that her family is having a pool party and that we are invited. For some reason, my mom decides to call Magda to see what time and what to bring. Turns out, Madga did not know, but told us to come at 6 and to bring chips. We did, and so did everyone else she invited and it was an awesome party.

As a kid, I went to the party and had fun. As an adult child, I thought this was funny. I though--that's Lyssa, always so social, always the life of the party. But as a parent I think of this story in a different way. Here was a child who was confident. Here was a child who was comfortable enough with her family and her place in her family, that she felt she could invite people over to her house. She didn't need to ask. Of course it would be ok. Here were parents who knew their child and valued their child for who she was and decided to throw a party.

For who she was.

So with this as our guide, we decided to go for it. They made signs, we bought trophies, there was a set up meeting and then-- the pet show. Goldfish and animal crackers were served. We had a few dogs, a hermit crab, a beta fish, and one kid who brought an oragami eagle. Henry was the emcee and judge and it was clear to everyone that he is the next Chris Marrou. There was a parade of pets and everyone had to introduce their own pet and tell fun facts about it.

The decision was easy. It took me about one second to text back, yes come on Saturday at three. And I thought of Lyssa and her family. I thought how social Annabelle is, and, not to brag, but I gave ourselves parent attaboys for this.

What a joy childhood is, to live it and relive it. Through the prism of memory and through magic of your daughter's eyes.