Wouldn’t it be nice when you step on LEGOs in the middle of the night and then trip over your kids’ shoes a moment later, you could just smile and say, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun!” while you pick up your family’s junk from the living room floor?

This is why I want to be Mary Poppins. Seriously, she never lost her cool and approached everyday tasks with an element of surprise, magic and a bit o’ chimney sweeping thrown in. How can anyone resist that triple threat?

Mary was also the quintessential mother figure. Patience, discipline and creative adventures made her irresistible to the kids who hung on to her every word and quickly did whatever Mary asked them to do…the very first time she asked. Wow! I don’t even know what that feels like. Here’s a comparison…

Mary: Children! Find the fun and SNAP! The job’s a game!

Children (not mine): Yay! We’ll pick up our toys right away, Mary!

Mary (as robin tweets merrily on her finger): Yes, my sweet, every task you under take, becomes a piece of cake!

(Mary and children start twirling around, cleaning up their room).

And then there’s my reality…

Mia: Sam, pick up your games and put them away.

Mia: Sam, did you hear me?

Mia (sighing loudly): Dude, seriously, pick up your games!

Mary had a lot of spunky energy, a perfect Victorian complexion and a hot, secret boyfriend on the side named Burt. Women want to be her and men want to be with her. The last time I checked, I didn’t have an adoring entourage, animated creatures at my beck and call or a dancing troupe of chimney sweeps as my back-up cheerleaders.

Ah, Mary. Why did you have to open the umbrella and fly away?