Does anyone else have trouble knowing when to push their kids and when to step back?  I was having this conversation with a friend of mine the other day.  My daughter just got her pointe shoes for ballet-- quite a milestone!  She has loved ballet, and has worked hard to get to this point.  She had a little mini-crisis though, deciding whether or not she should make ballet her career, or go on to college.  She's 12.  I told her that there was plenty of time to figure that out.  She does have a natural grace, and I love to watch her dance, but I don't push her.

My friends' daughter is younger and takes ballet, but has started playing soccer.  He personally thinks soccer is a more natural fit for her, but he's a guy.  I suggested he try not to lead her down the path he wants, and let her decide.  She's young enough that she can do both right now, and figure it out for herself.

Do you push your kids? Why or why not?

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As the song says, “ It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Yeah right…try telling that to a mother who is trying to find the last Wii in town, sifting through a year’s worth of photos trying to find the perfect one for her Christmas card (The one where her husband doesn’t look too bald and she doesn’t look too fat, let alone her children look good!!), baking like a banshee, decorating her house and now…. her car, finding the perfect festive outfit for the office party, keeping the balance right with religion and Santa, making sure to do some charitable deeds; all the while still doing laundry, cooking and cleaning!! Even with all the above going on, I still DO love this time of the year. (Let me say it again…I might convince myself!)

Personally I love running to the mailbox to receive holiday greetings. You know the ones where the kids look great and the accompanying letter tells you that each child is on the honor roll while participating in various sporting events. It further informs you that the mom works full time and still manages to go on mission trips to Africa and that the dad’s been promoted to C (something) O of X company and running marathons. I know these well-intentioned friends aren’t writing to make me feel inferior, but it sure seems that way when I read those Christmas letters. I stopped sending those letters years ago and try to write a little personal greeting on each card. However, it usually works out that the beginning of the alphabet gets a nice handwritten note while the end gets zilch. At least I try…maybe I should send my cards from the end of the alphabet this year and then every other year everyone will get a letter from me!!

It is a time of the year though when people get together, do for others and there is goodwill in the air! I love seeing friends and neighbors at holiday parties. Last year I started a new tradition with my daughter. We hosted a cookie swap for her friends. Usually at a cookie swap you’d take your own homemade cookies and share them. At our swap, the girls actually make the cookies at our home and then assemble a plate with the various ones to take home at the end of the party. We also had a gift under the tree for each girl last year. They were all pretty basic and we let each child choose theirs from under the tree. They weren’t labeled and were generic…body lotion, picture frame, etc… I had a little trick up my sleeve though. Imagine my daughter’s friend’s surprise when she opened a size 14 pair of ladies yellow granny panties!! It was hilarious. We are going to host the party again this year so I’ve got to find another size 48 yellow bra to match!

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I just got an email from a friend about sending a card to our American soldiers this Thanksgiving to thank them for serving.  It's so easy to do.  Just go to this website and a card will be sent to an American soldier serving abroad. 

http://www.letssaythanks.com/SendCard.asp?Image=6MichaelA

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Okay, it's getting a little scary.  There was an article in our Atlanta paper saying that we had 3 months worth of drinking water left for the metro Atlanta area, assuming we continue getting very little rain.  The thought of this is quite alarming. 

We have been subjected to water restrictions in Atlanta for months, and have been every summer for as long as I can remember.  Until recently however, it was alternating days for lawn watering and car washing.  Now we have a total outdoor water ban. 

In our family we have been aware of our excessive water use for months now.  I have talked about it with my children and we have discussed ways that we can further  reduce our water usage, beyond not watering our grass, washing our cars or leaving the water on while brushing our teeth. 

We have initiated several measures which might be worth sharing.  The first and most obvious is the old "if it's yellow, let it mellow.  If it's brown, flush it down!"  This works really well, but I have to remind my kids that after 3 or 4 yellows it really is time for a flush!!  (Note to self: if a friend or neighbor drops in, run around like a maniac flushing every toilet in the house so as not to be embarrassed!) 

We are trying to reduce the amount of laundry we do by only washing clothes THAT ARE REALLY DIRTY, NOT JUST ONES THAT MY KIDS DON'T FEEL LIKE PUTTING AWAY!!  How many times have I found clothes which have been rejected by my daughter, in particular, in the hamper?  Too many to count, but the final straw is when I find FOLDED clean clothes at the bottom of the hamper.  My 8 year old son took this to a new extreme when he stopped wearing underwear to cut down on laundry water consumption!! 

We leave a bucket in our showers and fill it up with the cold water that runs while we wait for the warm water to come.  Then while showering, we strategically place that bucket nearby to get any run off from our body and hair washing.  It's amazing how quickly we can fill up a bucket.  My 13 year old son's job is to carry that "bonus water" out to water the plants in our yard and in our containers.  Or sometimes we use that "bonus water" to pour into the tank of the toilet. 

It's been fun trying to save water together as a family.  It makes you think every time you turn on the faucet.    I am thinking about using paper plates more, but then what about our landfills?  Darn, it's hard being an environmentalist!!

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That is what the headline will read when they find my dead body on the laundry room floor, after having collapsed from fright at the site of yet another full to overflowing laundry basket coming at me from my sons room.  In a family of four, my 16 year old generates 90% of the dirty clothes in our home. What is up with that?

After leaving his room this morning I was so happy to see all the clean clothes that I had washed and folded  FINALLY put away and his room all neat and tidy . Then I made the fatal mistake of checking the basket...FULL...AGAIN...**** !

And so it continues !

 

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Well, we have survived the toddler years and most of the elementary school years too.  My oldest two children are middle schoolers and my youngest is in 3rd grade. 

Life has gotten so much easier for all of us.  Gone are the days of rushing  them home to nap in their cribs, having to get to preschool by noon to pick them up, traveling with pack and plays, diapers, car seats, strollers, etc...  I am happy in my middle years too!    

Worries about them driving and worse yet, drinking and driving are a few years away.  And now I see on this website that there is something called "trunking" that I'll have to worry about!!

I am trying to take advantage of this in between time we have by keeping communication open and talking about the challenges which might loom ahead.  I know the high school years present lots of new challenges and I'm glad that I can get a sneak peek here of what they may be. 

     

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Today is day two of the kids back in school and I am not sure how I feel other than tired!  I am on my second cup of coffee which doesn't really seem to be working.  My youngest son gets on the bus at 6:59 a.m., yikes!  I can guarantee none of us in this house ( other than my husband) have seen that hour since school ended.  My other son started middle school and he doesn't leave until 8:38.  I have some serious organizing to do to make the best use of my time in the morning. 

We had a wonderful summer and that is the main reason for the mixed emotions.  We spent a lot of time with friends and family and enjoyed a week at the beach!  My 17 year old niece lived with us this summer and she is a genuine blessing!  She taught our family alot about "true" needs and wants!  The quality time with the kids made me truly see what great  boys they are and that they are growing up so fast ( maybe too fast). The sibling rivalry slowed down some this summer and I could finally see that my children may actually be friends!!

I wouldn't trade the lazy days of the summer for anything but in reality our family functions better on a schedule.  When our schedule is so loose we often get nothing accomplished.  I think the hardest thing about school starting is that is makes life go by so much faster.  Schedules are busy, activites begin and you start living for the holidays again.  You shut your eyes, the school year is over, and it is summer.

How do you feel about having the kids back at school?  Please share your thoughts.

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