Crafty Parenting

Today in my senior English class, the guidance counselors came in and we helped all of the kids fill out their Common College Application.  I remember these kids when they were freshman.  Back then they were goofy and silly.  Today, they're a little more mature, and way more fun.  Wasn't it just, like . . . last year they were freshman?!  If it goes this fast for me- with students . . . what will it be like for my own kid?  My own freshman that my email inbox is inundated with- just this weekend: information from CollegeBoard on taking the PSAT and SAT.  I also got an email from a local college offering information on baseball Showcase Camps, and a flyer on the recruiting process for college athletes. How is this little kid that's a whole head taller than me, and stands in my kitchen and pretends to pitch in the World Series on the regular- getting email about his post secondary life?!

I've been missing this kid lately.  I mean- yes, he goes to the school I teach at, but I don't actually see him there.  Sometimes I catch a glimpse of him walking down the hall- away from me.  He is trying to establish himself- as a separate entity of me.  I get that.  That's why my feelings are not hurt that he doesn't come around much.   He has baseball practice, clubs, youth group, or going to watch school sporting events, or hanging out with friends, or his phone to entertain him.  He doesn't want to hang with his mom.  Again- my feelings aren't hurt.  I miss him, but I'm not sad. 

However, just because I get it. . . that doesn't mean I'm going to let him not hang out with me all of the time.  He's been really wanting a social media app for over a month, and I've been ignoring him, but . . . . I finally decided, "I'll let him get it, but he has to earn it."  After speaking with the masters of crafty parenting (my parents), I came up with this idea: in order to get the app, he has to spend 10 quality hours with me.  Just me.  He can't be on his phone.  He can't be whiny. 

Tonight, while we were spending time (making cookies) he said, "You know mom, I wasn't sure what direction you were going to go in, when you told me I had to earn this app, but this is pretty clever of you."  Haha!!!  It is pretty clever and on the first night . . . I'm totally digging it.  I don't know if I'll be saying the same thing on Friday night, when we're spending "quality time together" shopping for dress clothes for the Homecoming Dance (or as the cool kids say, HOCO), but . . . . one can only hope. 

     

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wedded Bliss . . . Ten Years Later

Image
Yep.  Doug and I have been married TEN years!!!!  Can you believe that?  Well- not quite ten years, yet.  On Thursday- April 7- it'll be TEN years!!!!  And I am pretty sure we still love each other. I know I still love Doug and quite honestly- how could he not love me?  I am never a pill and always a delight.  In honor of our almost anniversary- I am including a copy of the email I sent my mother raving about him, after our first date- with hardly no editing and only a few comments in parenthesis.  Enjoy: Mom!!!! (I loved exclamation points way back then, too)   I went out tonight with a guy from school.  He's a teacher.  (let me clarify that I was also a teacher).   He's not married (thank goodness) and he's SUPER nice.  He's an Agriculture Education teacher- think Future Farmer's of America (uhhh- ok?!!)  But, anyway, he sat with me at the football game the other night, and tonight after cheerleading practice (I was the cheerleading coach my first year te
Read more

A True Artiste

A True Artiste Alexa has been working to improve the artistic presentation of her temper tantrums the last several days.   She must be like her Aunt Kelly and won’t stop working until her art is exactly the way wants it and completely perfect.   And lucky for her, she feels like she has had many opportunities to perfect her craft: the door wouldn’t stay open, I opened the bag, her friend touched her, her teacher had to go to the restroom, etc.   A month ago, she liked to pitch herself backwards when she pitched her fits.   However, she discovered that that method is painful.   So then she altered, and would pitch herself forward, it took her a few tries to figure out, she has to make sure she can’t throw her head forward too, because then she crashes it on the floor and that too, hurts.   Here are some samples of what she’s currently trying out.   (I would turn my speakers down- as you don’t want to hear the accompanying sound effects.) I am thinking of helping her out and utilizing
Read more

Let Me Count the 13 Ways . . .

Today is mine and Doug's 13th anniversary. As we were sitting at dinner I was thinking, "Man is this night a LOT different than this night 13 years ago." Here are 13 ways my life is different than 13 years ago. 1. My muscle tone- particularly around the midsection. 2.  My hair which has more grey, but yet it is still so much better!  ("wisdom" and vanity cause me to spend ridiculous amounts of money on hair products- more than I spend on clothes) 3. I fed a small person ravioli's, while they wiggled and jostled next to me in the booth, and dropped forks with spaghetti sauce on my pants- tonight. 4.  I am relearning elementary school math.  I think I've got the hang of fractions now. 5. I know Disney Channel characters.  I am able to tell what show either of my children is watching- from another room, just by the voices of the characters 6. My friends are now made at my kids extra curricular events, not at work, not at the gym, not doing a hobby.
Read more