Mother of the Year? Not Here.

In the past few weeks, I must confess...

I let my children skip school.

Also, I attempted to get them into a bar.

I had no idea about the bar. Seriously.

The skipping school thing, I did on purpose.

The bar thing, however, was definitely an error on my part.

My kids are quick to make a joke about skipping school. (A joke to me. Not to them, I suspect.) We rarely get sick, so missing school, other than for legitimate reasons like orthodontist appointments, does not happen.

The skipping of school was to allow my children to attend the live airing of Show-Me St. Louis on KSDK Channel 5 to promote a charity event I was helping out with. It's not my fault that the show is at noon on a school day. I made the reservation to appear, and was told the more people we have there, the better. Wear costumes, have posters, anything you can do to make it memorable. So that's what we did.

I told my kids as long as they dressed up for the show, they would miss a half day of school, I would buy them a fun lunch, and they also would get credit for volunteering. They both were more than happy to take me up on it.

Then, I bought tickets for me and my kids to see the new Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn, Part 2.

We were all excited to try the new Lounge movie theater in Des Peres, with new heated, leather recliners! Order food from a complete menu, right from your seat! Wait service! Yea!

I bought the tickets online 2 days in advance, as the other shows were already Sold Out. We walked in, handed the usher our tickets. He took one look at the 3 of us and said, "Uh, you know the Five-Star Lounge is 21 and over only, right?"

Ummmm, no.

Oops. Mom mistake. Worst. Ever.

The Wehrenberg website clearly states that the theater is 21+. I overlooked this repeatedly, I think because I was just so excited to take the kids, and okay, myself, to this new theater experience.

I asked why the 21+ was the rule, and was told by the employees that the city of Des Peres regards the theater as "a bar," because alcoholic drinks are served.

They serve alcoholic drinks at the regular concession stand. Doesn't this make the whole theater "a bar?"

No. It does not.

My children and I discussed this, of course. At length. The unfairness of it all. We had built it up, together, now they were excluded. Not only banned for now, but for a long, long time.

We were promptly refunded our money, and re-purchased tickets for the regular showing of the film. We managed to enjoy it.

Looking back, it's all humorous.

P.S. The first thing my husband said when we told him the story about the Five Star Lounge being "a bar" was, "Isn't the whole theater a bar?"

I knew I liked him.