Baby Steps to Losing Control

There's this type of mom. She's the mom whose kids venture beyond the playground boundaries to explore the rest of the park, and she doesn't call them back because they're not following the rules. She's the mom who lets her kids play in the mud and delights in their play and even allows them to track through the kitchen to the shower where she giggles with them as she hoses them down. She's the mom who not only allows but encourages her kids to help with the chores even though the window streaks left by eager, greasy hands look worse than the water spots that were on them before. She's the mom who lets her kids help in the kitchen any time even though the cookies may not look perfect, and even though the kitchen is left looking like it went through WWII. She's the mom I envy, the mom I aspire to be.

I'm the mom who's usually not much of an explorer...unless "Exploring" has been penned in on the calendar. I'm the mom who rolls her eyes and scolds the child who splashes in a puddle. I'm the mom who tells my little helper that now is not a good time to help me dust...or I go behind him to dust what he has missed. I'm the mom who tries her best to control the "painting-of-the-Awana-Grand-Prix-car" project even though I said a million times as the project progressed, "I'm just going to let you guys paint these cars however you want" (not that that should have to be said). I'm the mom who occasionally allows the kids in the kitchen, but I hold their hands as they carefully sprinkle my perfectly measured flour into the bowl. I'm the mom who loses her cool if some sugar ends up on the floor. And I'm the mom who makes the children line the cookies up perfectly on the cookie tray...or I re-organize them after the kids are done. I'm very often the controlling mom I don't want to be.

Today I decided to take a baby step in losing control. I asked the kids at lunch if they would like to make Peanut Butter Cookies after school was over. They voiced their excitement, although I'm sure they were thinking, Yeah, right. Mom's not going to really let us make them ourselves. I'm proud to say I let go. The kids had fun, and the cookies turned out great...even with the extra 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda Alex put in, and even though the Princess snuck in at least an extra 1/4 cup of sugar. I was a little too strict on the taste-testing--the kids wanted to test both kinds of sugar. What's the harm in a little sugar? But...this is baby steps, remember? Baby step...baby step...baby step...one foot in front of the other toward losing a little control.

Learning the Important Stuff...

Michael: Daddy, I learned to hold my toots in today. I needed to toot at Co-Op, and I didn't!

Quiet, please...

...we're in the Hundred Acre Woods. (And we're trying to enjoy the show!) This morning we fought bumper-to-bumper traffic to venture downtown Atlanta to the Center for Puppetry Arts. Last year we enjoyed a wonderful performance of Charlotte's Web, so we expected nothing less for Winnie-the-Pooh. However, it was just mediocre this time. The complaint I had about the performance itself is rather strange, but everyone is by now accustomed to a bit of strangeness coming from yours truly, so here goes: It really creeped me out that they had a man's voice for Christopher Robin! Yes, strange but true.

My bigger complaint was not about the puppets and puppeteers but the audience! Although we were late, everyone else was stuck in the same traffic and trickled in even later than my group. As a result, we got a front row. The rest of the seats were filled by one, gigantic daycare group. I'm not pointing that out because I dislike daycares, but because I know kids get a little less personal attention in a group under a few teacher's supervision rather than lots of mommies. These kids were so obnoxious! Talking and yelling out and interacting with the puppets the whole time. It really became difficult to hear the show. Even little Audrey got perturbed; she spent a good portion of the performance turning around and shushing the loud little boy that was sitting directly behind us. While I would normally shush her shushing, I think it was quite appropriate under the circumstances. The teachers sure weren't shushing anyone.

I'll tell you what, though...being in a full auditorium where your row of kids appear angelic can be a good morale booster!

An Overworked Mind

I've heard of the movie A Beautiful Mind. Never seen it. But a beautiful mind...it is an interesting concept. Enviable really. As for my mind? If I believed in evolution, I'd say it's devolving (is that a word?). I'm sure there are a lot of grandmas and grandpas who would nod their head in sympathy and understanding, but please do keep in mind that I haven't even quite hit mid-30s yet. So this is how my almost-mid-30s mind works: Things are going well. It's only 8:00 and I've taken a shower, had some quiet time, made pancakes, fed the kids, and am now unloading last night's dishes from the dishwasher. Then I get thrown off. Jacob is clearing his breakfast dishes and drops his cup into the cat's water dish. There wasn't much milk in his glass, but I see the water dish needs to be cleaned anyway. I go to clean it. The last time the kids fed the cat, they must have spilled a bunch because there's food under the dish. I get out the vacuum cleaner to vacuum up the miscellaneous pieces of cat food that have gone astray. While I have the vacuum cleaner out, I may as well vacuum up the dust bunnies in the hall that I walk by everyday and that are driving me crazy. As I'm doing that, I notice how dusty the cabinets are. Today's Tuesday. Dusting day. I wonder how many Tuesdays it's been since I've dusted? I really should get right on that. I go out to the garage to get the Pledge and a rag. The Pledge is in the same cabinet as my cake decorating box. I have to teach a cake decorating class next month at co-op. I really should start planning what I'm going to do to teach that. I start rummaging through the box. I think I should start with a list to send out of what supplies people should bring. I go to the pantry to take stock and make sure I'm not missing anything. I wonder what we'll have for lunch today? I look in the fridge to see what leftovers I can scrounge up. The refrigerator really could be cleaned out. I take out some old leftovers. I'm not sure what they were, but I'm afraid to open the container. I go to the sink to wash out the containers from the fridge. I start to put something in the dishwasher. What?! Why are there still clean dishes in here? I thought I unloaded this thing. And what is the vacuum cleaner doing out? And the Pledge? And how can it already be 10:00 and I haven't started school yet? 10:00 means Snacktime, so I'll go upstairs to find a book to read during Snacktime. (The books always distract me.) I find a few treasures in the bookcase that I should add to my lesson plans. Gotta wait for the computer to boot up. Oh, the baby's stinky. I'll have to go up to her room to get a diaper. Who knows what I'll find in her room to distract me...You see how this works? It's stream of consciousness in action. Sort of like a Wiliam Faulkner novel. Believe it or not, I took an entire class on William Faulkner. Even as an English major, it was painful. I mean, give me The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, and I'm good to go. Throw in 4 or 5 others and enough is enough. See? I'm very good at this stream of consciousness thing. At least I'm using punctuation. And correctly, which is more than I can say for much of the world. Have you noticed all of the grammatical errors EVERYWHERE? Billboards, books, flyers...aside from the Bible, I have yet to read a book that doesn't at least have one error in it. Of course, if I published a book, I'm sure there would be errors in it too. Actually, I did co-author a book with a gentleman whom I found because I wrote him to point out the errors in one of his books. I'm quite obnoxious, aren't I?! But perhaps it's this obnoxious habit of finding mistakes that allows my mind to preserve at least an ounce of sharpness. Of course, I learn a lot homeschooling too. That doesn't sound like something to brag about considering the oldest grade I teach is second, but I learned two things in World Geography today. I learned that the little itty bitty country of Andorra sits on the border of Spain and France, and the Canary Islands are part of Spain. Well, there I go again--off on another tangent...

Random Adventuring

In our years BC, Mark and I on the weekends used to get in the car and just drive. We explored much of North Georgia, Tennessee, and some of the Carolinas. We would stop at any antique stores that piqued our interest; beautiful state parks often beckoned to us; other unique and interesting attractions generally caught our eyes as well. Today we decided to do a little family adventuring.

Our first and only planned stop was to drop in on Dana and Papa to say hello. Then we decided to head to Helen. The last time we visited Helen was one spontaneous day back in May. On the way into the charming, European-style town, the kids spied a miniature-golf course. I promised them we would play next time we visited. They didn't miss a beat in reminding me of my promise, so we stopped and enjoyed a friendly mini-golf game. After the game, we started toward downtown Helen; however, the early Oktoberfest traffic had collected in the masses during the short time we were playing, so we made a U-turn and headed away in search of a different adventure.

Taking a very circuitous route back towards home, we happened upon Dahlonega and were able to scope out a perfect site for a future field trip. I had no idea that Dahlonega's big Gold Rush preceded California's. This town has a fascinating history and quite a few choices for an outstanding homeschool outing! (Now to put my US History plans on the racetrack so we can get to the 1800s sooner.)

There's nothing more enjoyable than hanging out with your family, drinking up the beauty of God's creation, and finding joy in a game or two...all in a day with no agenda whatsoever. As for our day of random adventures? Well, it finally culminated at our favorite pizza hang-out...of course!

A Remedy for the Big S

Everyone knows that Socialization is the question of the day when it comes to homeschooling. I for one have never been the least bit worried about this issue because I know my children are adequately--if not overly--socialized. Today we did a little socialization...just in case I'm wrong--we had a playdate with the kids' very special friends Grace and Jack. And I must say that I enjoy the comraderie between Grace and Jack's mom and me as much as the kids enjoy each other.

So it was with much regret that we watched the family begin to get ready to go. There was much begging and much cajoling: "PLEASE let them stay forever." "Could they at least spend the night?" Caught up in the moment of sadness, Michael devised the perfect plan: Pointing at our large front yard, he said to his friends' mom, "You should have your builder knock down your house and build it again over there."

I'm not sure I would want my friend's house...um, in my front yard, but you know what? It sure would be nice to have a loved family so close. And with two best friends right in...your front yard...what better way to address the Socialization issue?

The World Wide Webkinz

It seems wherever we go, the kids can find someone with whom they can share a conversation about Webkinz. Apparently, we have indulged in a craze, a craze which generates perpetual enthusiasm and excitement: There is always a new game to play, a new gift, a new item to "buy", a new Webkinz friend to visit...or a new Webkinz plush toy to buy. Of course buying a new plush toy is most exciting of all because the secret code that comes with the toy is the key to unlocking the World of Webkinz.

As mentioned earlier, the kids have been saving for new Webkinz. Well, Grandmas are for spoiling, and these children's Dana didn't waste any time. A check came in the mail today, enough for each of them to get a new Webkinz. And we didn't waste any time heading to the Hallmark store to make our very important purchase.

The Webkinz craze in this house all began in July when the kids' cousins came to visit. To provide a common link, we got the kids their first Webkinz so they could spend some computer time with their cousins. Since then, the requests for computer time have not diminished, nor has the children's delight in playing with their little critters. Michael's Webkinz, Sparkly, is especially well-loved and has, in fact, had a haircut (one that subsequently resulted in a little love-wound on his back--we try to keep his stuffing in as best we can). Sparkly is carried everywhere, including to Show and Tell at Co-op, and has been known to sport clothespins on his ears, fanciful yarn around his neck and waist, and many a Lego or penny taped to an appendage. Hopefully, Sparkly will in no way feel threatened by the arrival of Sonic, Michael's new Webkinz.

I have mixed opinions about the benefits of the Webkinz. On the one hand, the kids learn a little about money and responsibility as they must complete certain tasks--like play a game--to earn money to feed, clothe, and house the virtual version of their pet. On the other hand, they are sometimes of the notion that when you want something, you just buy it. Of course, this notion is typical with kids and not necessarily a by-product of their time in Webkinz World. I suppose it doesn't help at all that Mom often spends evenings playing her favorite Webkinz games, thus earning "free" money for them to spend at will.

At any rate, the Webkinz do serve as a source of imagination. In addition, with the craze comes the almost-guarantee that the kids will have something to talk about with just about every child they encounter. It does trump conversations about the very-often, very-strange video games of the present age--don't you miss the good ol' days of "Frogger," "Pac-Man," "Pitfall," and "Donkey Kong?" Maybe the Wide World of Webkinz will one day enter the halls of fame to reside alongside those wonderful ol' quality games!

Dear Dana, Thank you for giving us enough for a Webkinz. My Webkinz is a Google - half platypus, half duck. I think he's cute. I also have another Webkinz. I love you, Michael

Dear Dana, Thank you for giving us enough money to buy a Webkinz. My Webkinz is a tiger, and my other Webkinz is a chihuahua. I love you, Jacob

Dear Dana, Thank you for the money for us to buy a Webkinz. I got a unicorn, and I named her Eunice. She has sparkles in her hair and on her tail, and her hooves are shiny pink. I love you, Alex