Can’t I Have Just A Little Bit Of Peril?

This is the third year in a row my kids have worn their swimsuits to school for field day, but it was too cold to swim (outside).  Luckily, field day is at the Brentwood Y, but they hate swimming inside there.  I have no idea why, but they are pretty adamant about it.

I know it’s awful of me to say, but I wish we could have a just a little bit of that global warming everyone keeps talking about.  I remember mid to late May being much hotter than we’ve seen the last three years.  Heck, last year, we had a hard freeze.  Maybe I should buy an Escallade to hurry things along?   Just a wee bit of global warming, please, so we can get May back to normal? (Dear humorless – Please unwad panties.)

My kids have so many non-school things going on through school that academic work is pretty much over for the year.  Which is a shame, because my son needs to take at least one more accellerated math test to raise his grade up to at least a C, or he’s grounded for the summer. 

Not only that, but each of these non-school school events is costing me money – I’ll need to take out a home equity loan just to get through the last couple of weeks of school.  This is one of the perils of sending your kids to school with other kids who are in a higher economic bracket.

That, and being subtly accused of being racist and elitist by the Tennessean.

But, one outcome of my news/blog/radio hiatus is that I just don’t feel the need to prove my goodness to anyone anymore.  Certainly not the Tennessean.  Nor anyone else.  I am what I am.  Love me.  Hate me.  Whatever – I don’t own it anymore.

But, I would like y’all to pray for my son.  His entire school year has come down to one self-test.  He either makes the honor roll, or spends his summer with no video games or television.  Which MIGHT be a good thing.  He could spend it outside, as I remember my summers.

If it ever warms up enough for him to get outside.

 NOTE: we won’t be punishing our son for not making the honor roll, but for getting a D for the second six weeks in a row in Advanced Math. The grading for this class is extremely objective: he has to show mastery of 30 objectives through the accellerated math quizzes. The teacher does not assign them, the student has to take the initiative to take the exams on his own. This has been Zaphod’s downfall. He is not much of a self-motivator. We’ve pushed him all we could this six weeks. In the end, it’s up to him. Dang, he reminds me of me at that age.

One FInal thing, because upon re-reading this it looks like we’re being too tough on Zaphod.  A few weeks ago, some folks from Vanderbilt were using kids from my kids’ school to test some new educational techniques.  They tested each kid in math, used the techniques, then tested them again.  Zaphod was sent home after the first test because he “tested out” – he knew all the material already.  His teacher says he’s one of the most advanced in his class.  SOOOO – getting a “D” because he didn’t take the time to take enough self-assesments – we can’t just let that slide.  That being said, I have the utmost confidence he’ll take the test and raise it to a “B”.  Interestingly, a “C” isn’t really possible this six weeks.  It’s one or the other.

To Sleep, Perchance

Zaphod and Trillian are mad, mad mad – and I can’t say that I don’t blame them.

They are getting to the age where they are easily embarrassed, especially about their home life.  And last night, it came to a head at church, over a subject that has been a point of contention in our household, almost from the moment we brought Zaphod home from the airport.

Our kids have an incredibly ridiculous, unreasonable bedtime. 

They are sent to bed at 8pm Central.  8:30 in the summertime.

Keep in mind, they are not 4 and 5, they are 10 and 11 years old.

Last night, we were rushing to get home from church to get the kids in bed, and we got the funniest looks from other parents, and even funnier looks from the children in the room.  There were 6 year olds who said their bedtime was 9 or later.  My kids were mortified.

Lintilla is absolutely adamant about not changing the bedtime, though.  And, what’s funny is that she has science on her side.  Children Zaphod and Trillian’s ages need 10-11 hours of sleep a night.

It’s funny – Lintilla gets absolutely frustrated with me when I adhere to the speed limit on the interstate, although I am being passed by every other car on the road, even those driven by little old ladies.  This is a similar situation.

NOBODY makes their kids get the recommended amount of sleep anymore.  Except us.  We send our kids to bed before dark this time of year.

Here’s the thing: I know that our lights out policy at home is partially responsible for our kids’ incredible grades and test scores.  But, I’m afraid the kids are approaching an age where grades are far less important than peer approval.  I know that Lintilla and I have to be the adults, and ignore peer pressure, doing what’s best for our kids.

However, I think totally ignoring their peer group is a recipe for disaster down the road.  We have to walk a fine line.  Plus, they feel we treat them like ‘babies” and are not letting them “be” their age.  Even if “being their age” means getting less than the recommended amount of sleep per night.

I’m wondering if we’re doing the right thing, or being entirely unreasonable. 

What time do your kids get in bed?  If they are older, what time did you send them to bed when they were around 10 or 11?  Do you think they get/got enough sleep?

Last Stand

My kids were both born in Pusan, South Korea.  Pusan is a coastal metropolis of 3.69 million, but it is most famous outside of Korea for being the site of the “last stand” of coalition forces at the beginning of the Korean War.

The North Koreans had invaded, and swept away all opposition, until all that was left was a tiny sliver of the Korean peninsula in and around Pusan.  The Americans and South Koreans fought furiously to hold this small area, and were ultimately successfu.  Had they not done this, all of Korea would be under the rule of Kim Yong il today.

I think of this when I look at my Kitchenaid mixer.

With two kids and three dogs, and an extremely busy lifestyle, keeping my house clean has become darned near impossible.  I have ceded ground to the mess week after week – but I make my last stand in the area of my kitchen between the mixer and the sink.

I stand in front of it like Gandalf, shouting “You shall not pass!” to clutter and those who make it.

The rest of my house might be fodder for the health inspector, but that small area is going to remain immaculate, dangit.

The kids go to Florida to visit grandma in a couple of weeks.  I’m hoping I can fight my way out at that time.

Until then, I’ll be cleaning that corner of the kitchen.

I’m Sane Now, Butt It Hurts

I realize it was awfully, awfully rude for me not to check back with you guys sooner, but I took a little sanity break, and then life decided that I hadn’t had my butt kicked in a while, so it obliged.

My children both went through growth spurts recently, each crossed the 5 feet tall mark, and it has really hit me hard.  Two thirds of the time they’ll be under my care … is gone.  I’ve been “here”, but at the same time I feel as if I’ve missed it, being so focused on other things.  I am in somewhat of a panic and trying to refocus my life so I don’t miss these last, important years.

I recently took a really nice fall down the steps.  My feet came out from under me, and I bounced on my butt down several steps.  I busted my tailbone up pretty good.  The X-rays were inconclusive.  For all you 10 year old boys out there, apparently being a DES baby meant that I have,amongst all the other weird body oddities I have, a tiny coccyx.  [Insert giggle here...].  But, size doesn’t matter…

So, the x-rays had to be sent away, because the urgent care facility didn’t quite know what they were looking at.  But, I have some nice drugs.  It only hurts today when I go from sitting to standing.  But man, oh man, does it hurt!

For those of you who I speak to regularly in person, I’ve been asked not to blog about “that other thing” until we know more.  Should be within the next couple of days, I hope.

For the rest of you, “that other thing”  sounds ominous, I know.  All I can say is that it COULD be a huge, scary thing, or it could be a small thing.  We’ll see.

Sorry I was away for too long – I’ll try to do better in the coming weeks.