I came home to a message on my answering machine. "Hello, this is your daughter's teacher. I'm calling you because she hasn't turned in her field trip money, or her permission slip. I would really like her to be able to go on the field trip."
Visions of my child with a $5 bill clutched in her hand flash thru my head. I know she had both the items at one point.
"What happened to the money, and the permission slip?" I ask her.
"I don't know," the normally talkative child shrugs her shoulders.
It's a trip to the zoo! Does she have any clue how much fun it would be? No, of course she doesn't. She's six years old. Her colorful scarf, and her stuffed dinosaur are the most important things in her world. Right now she's worried that her brother is going to go pick up the plastic lizard she was playing with. A $5 bill is Mom's worry, not her.
This morning I ran into talk to the teacher for a minute.
"Can she live with the consequences?" I ask. "Is there something in place if she doesn't turn it in?" The teacher nods. She and I have discussed my daughter's lack of maturity. As much as she can, she refuses to take responsibility. She is a brilliant kid, but she doesn't act her age. She is easily the smartest kid in class, but her grades don't always show it.
The teacher promised to force my daughter to go thru her desk and back pack.
I feel like crying because I know she's not going to get to go. But it's better that she learn now then later with bigger items. I feel so terrible.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Bad things do happen the first time
The first time a cop catches you speeding, he gives you a ticket. Doesn't matter how much you cry. The first time you try drugs you might die from an overdose. Or as a friend of mine learned, the first time you accidentally switch needles, you may get turn up HIV positive.
But kids are programmed to think they can get away with something at least twice. I'm warning you, stop jumping on that couch. What did I already say? Okay that's it, ten cents! I even do it.
But tonight my son had to pay for a first infraction. I walked into my bathroom to find my box of essential oils on the ground. The box showed signs of being rolled on the ground, and my numerous little bottles were in disarray within the box. On opening the box I quickly realize an oil had spilled. Then I found the tiny crushed bottle. It was a total waste, the glass bottom crushed in, probably from being rolled around. And this is a favorite oil, one I use often. I was sickened. Total waste of something I love dearly The normal delicate aroma was sticky sweet.
I explained to my son that he would have to pay to replace this item. I looked up the cost online, about $12. We agreed that the amount would be paid by Saturday breakfast. He knows the drill. If it's not paid breakfast will wait for him until he gets it done. I bet it will take about 2 hours for him to earn the money.
He might get into it again. But for the moment he's working on folding the mini-blinds.
But kids are programmed to think they can get away with something at least twice. I'm warning you, stop jumping on that couch. What did I already say? Okay that's it, ten cents! I even do it.
But tonight my son had to pay for a first infraction. I walked into my bathroom to find my box of essential oils on the ground. The box showed signs of being rolled on the ground, and my numerous little bottles were in disarray within the box. On opening the box I quickly realize an oil had spilled. Then I found the tiny crushed bottle. It was a total waste, the glass bottom crushed in, probably from being rolled around. And this is a favorite oil, one I use often. I was sickened. Total waste of something I love dearly The normal delicate aroma was sticky sweet.
I explained to my son that he would have to pay to replace this item. I looked up the cost online, about $12. We agreed that the amount would be paid by Saturday breakfast. He knows the drill. If it's not paid breakfast will wait for him until he gets it done. I bet it will take about 2 hours for him to earn the money.
He might get into it again. But for the moment he's working on folding the mini-blinds.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Three bags full
Ba-ba black sheep have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
Well, it wasn't quite wool in our house. It wasn't even close to wool now that I think about it. It was three bags of clothes, toys and various odds and ends out of the kids bedroom.
Their room has been overwhelming them. Somehow all the clothes and toys had gotten to be more than they could handle. They didn't have room for all of it, and were unwilling to get rid of any of it. So instead, I did it for them. On Saturday I went in while they were playing outside. That day I simply picked up trash off the floor. The box they'd been playing with, a paper covered in stickers, and other precious artifacts off the floor.
My daughter came in while I was doing it. She immediately started to cry and screamed for the stuff in the trash bag. In a very soft and understanding voice I told her, "Sure, name the item and I'll pull it straight out for you."
She stomped her foot and said she needed to look thru the bag. I gave a sad shake of my head, and asked her what did I already say. She knew she had lost the argument. I marched the bag out to the dumpster.
On the way home from the baby sitter's today I told the kids that their room had to be cleaned today. I explained, I'll be happy to help once I have the laundry done. I also explained to them that things I picked up would go to Goodwill.
Once we were home I had to bite my tongue a few times. I wanted to bad to remind them. But they have to learn to listen, and apply what is said. Instead I got the huge pile of laundry folded. In small manageable stacks I hand the kids their clothing to put away.
Needless to say, not all the clean clothes made it in to the drawers. My son was the main offender. He lost a few items to the Goodwill bags. Tons of toys went into the bulging white bags. And who knows what else, I really didn't pay much attention. I did make sure to put the towels into the wash; those are mine.
On the way to Goodwill I found myself very upset. Three garbage bags full of stuff! Three big bulging bags! I kept thinking about all the money I've spent on their clothes, and toys. And yet the mess in their room has been stressing me out. It's like a vile creepy stench that has been putting us all on edge. We all felt frustrated by the mess. I feel so terrible. All that money that I wasted. Really, it wasn't that much, but I'm not happy. I've got to learn to be a better steward of the money I've been given. I can't waste it on needless things that stress us out.
I made a decision, the kids each get two pairs of shoes, and that's enough. Anything beyond that spells trouble. They have too much to put away, and too many choices. One every day pair, and one church pair and we're good. This week-end I will clean out their drawers and get them back down to seven items in each category, seven shirts, seven pants, etc. I'll help them, and help me, and be a good steward of the blessings we have.
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
Well, it wasn't quite wool in our house. It wasn't even close to wool now that I think about it. It was three bags of clothes, toys and various odds and ends out of the kids bedroom.
Their room has been overwhelming them. Somehow all the clothes and toys had gotten to be more than they could handle. They didn't have room for all of it, and were unwilling to get rid of any of it. So instead, I did it for them. On Saturday I went in while they were playing outside. That day I simply picked up trash off the floor. The box they'd been playing with, a paper covered in stickers, and other precious artifacts off the floor.
My daughter came in while I was doing it. She immediately started to cry and screamed for the stuff in the trash bag. In a very soft and understanding voice I told her, "Sure, name the item and I'll pull it straight out for you."
She stomped her foot and said she needed to look thru the bag. I gave a sad shake of my head, and asked her what did I already say. She knew she had lost the argument. I marched the bag out to the dumpster.
On the way home from the baby sitter's today I told the kids that their room had to be cleaned today. I explained, I'll be happy to help once I have the laundry done. I also explained to them that things I picked up would go to Goodwill.
Once we were home I had to bite my tongue a few times. I wanted to bad to remind them. But they have to learn to listen, and apply what is said. Instead I got the huge pile of laundry folded. In small manageable stacks I hand the kids their clothing to put away.
Needless to say, not all the clean clothes made it in to the drawers. My son was the main offender. He lost a few items to the Goodwill bags. Tons of toys went into the bulging white bags. And who knows what else, I really didn't pay much attention. I did make sure to put the towels into the wash; those are mine.
On the way to Goodwill I found myself very upset. Three garbage bags full of stuff! Three big bulging bags! I kept thinking about all the money I've spent on their clothes, and toys. And yet the mess in their room has been stressing me out. It's like a vile creepy stench that has been putting us all on edge. We all felt frustrated by the mess. I feel so terrible. All that money that I wasted. Really, it wasn't that much, but I'm not happy. I've got to learn to be a better steward of the money I've been given. I can't waste it on needless things that stress us out.
I made a decision, the kids each get two pairs of shoes, and that's enough. Anything beyond that spells trouble. They have too much to put away, and too many choices. One every day pair, and one church pair and we're good. This week-end I will clean out their drawers and get them back down to seven items in each category, seven shirts, seven pants, etc. I'll help them, and help me, and be a good steward of the blessings we have.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Skate Town
"I want to go home."
"I can't do this."
"It's too hard!"
"Can we go?"
I barely had my skates laced up before my kids were whining royally. My daughter clung to the wall, and my son was sprawled on the waxed floor. There friends were right there whining with them.
For the past six months they've begged me to take them to skate town. Finally I planned ahead. I even made an event of it, inviting the other single parents from my group. We had close to 20 say they would come. (Only 3 showed.)
But after 3 hours, all of the kids were actually skating. My two remembered how, and tore up the floor. The other kids figured out how to keep their feet underneath them half of the time. It was so amazing to watch them figure it out. They kept on trying, over and over, and slowly the skills come to them. Step with the foot turned out. Glide along the other foot.
I meant to bring my camera, but in the rush to get there on time the camera got left at home. Sorry!
"I can't do this."
"It's too hard!"
"Can we go?"
I barely had my skates laced up before my kids were whining royally. My daughter clung to the wall, and my son was sprawled on the waxed floor. There friends were right there whining with them.
For the past six months they've begged me to take them to skate town. Finally I planned ahead. I even made an event of it, inviting the other single parents from my group. We had close to 20 say they would come. (Only 3 showed.)
But after 3 hours, all of the kids were actually skating. My two remembered how, and tore up the floor. The other kids figured out how to keep their feet underneath them half of the time. It was so amazing to watch them figure it out. They kept on trying, over and over, and slowly the skills come to them. Step with the foot turned out. Glide along the other foot.
I meant to bring my camera, but in the rush to get there on time the camera got left at home. Sorry!
Friday, October 5, 2007
The Inept Tooth Fairy
I nearly got caught this morning. As I was waking my son up today I remembered his lost tooth. I ran out of the bedroom to grab a dollar bill. He was rubbing his eyes, looking off in the distance. I thought I might be able to switch the dollar for the tooth without him noticing.
As I came over to his bed though, he reached for his tooth fairy pillow.
"Mom, the tooth fairy didn't come," he grumbled looking at the pillow.
"Let me see," the idea coming to me. I reached into the pillow and grabbed the tooth. My son never realized the dollar bill was in my other hand. I handed it over to the excited kid and he forgot all about it.
I am always forgetting my Tooth Fairy duties!
He made a bloody mess yesterday when the tooth came out. It was a front top tooth. It was so loose it was sticking out perpendicular to his mouth. As he got in the car, he bonked his mouth. Blood spewed everywhere. He began to wail. I asked him, is your tooth okay? He reached up to his mouth, moving the tooth back to it's normal position. As he moved it, the tooth came out in his hand. The crying immediately stopped. The blood dried on his toothy grin. Once we arrived at Chick-Fil-A he proudly showed the bloody tooth. Everyone laughed because of the dried blood on his face.
As I came over to his bed though, he reached for his tooth fairy pillow.
"Mom, the tooth fairy didn't come," he grumbled looking at the pillow.
"Let me see," the idea coming to me. I reached into the pillow and grabbed the tooth. My son never realized the dollar bill was in my other hand. I handed it over to the excited kid and he forgot all about it.
I am always forgetting my Tooth Fairy duties!
He made a bloody mess yesterday when the tooth came out. It was a front top tooth. It was so loose it was sticking out perpendicular to his mouth. As he got in the car, he bonked his mouth. Blood spewed everywhere. He began to wail. I asked him, is your tooth okay? He reached up to his mouth, moving the tooth back to it's normal position. As he moved it, the tooth came out in his hand. The crying immediately stopped. The blood dried on his toothy grin. Once we arrived at Chick-Fil-A he proudly showed the bloody tooth. Everyone laughed because of the dried blood on his face.
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