I spent most of my senior year in high school grounded. I was one of those kids who had the uncanny knack for pushing the rage button of my parents. It isn't that I was evil; I was quite normal. I got into less trouble than most teens... but I did push that rage button effectively!
My mother always said that teens are difficult to live with for a reason. If we were pleasant our parents would never want us to move out. God has a special way of helping us leave the nest -- he plans the friction between parents and teens so that the teens will be motivated to leave the nest and the parents will be motivated to let them! My mom was brilliant... you can't argue the logic. She said "If we got along during those years you never would have moved out."
So true.
As a new week begins my tweens have chosen to extend their grounding from TV. Wonder Boy has added an especially divine torture -- he is grounded from the computer. Nick.com is not a life calling my son....
Sometimes I think kids like to get in trouble because they can see that we parents are noticing them. "Please, give me clearly defined boundaries!"
No problem honey, here is the line -- and yes, you stepped over it.
Super girl has gotten creative.... she has agreed to say the rosary to lift herself from another punishment. How much does that ROCK!? Super Girl is saying the rosary!!!!!
So this week will be a joy because Super Girl is saying the rosary, feeding the dogs, and unloading the dishwasher.
Wonder Boy is pulling a power play and trying to torture me due to his no TV or computer status (again, nick.com is not a life calling!). Wonder Boy has an amazing ability to make misery for all who share a home with him. He is a true believer that misery LOVES company.
The good news is that homework is done. We are also in the throes of ANOTHER marathon game of Monopoly. I know you are jealous....
I feel like these moments are a test... can I come up with an appropriate consequence for the discretion... and can I stick by it? For me that is the key -- do not threaten what you will not follow through on! So here we are -- no TV or computer for this week. Hopefully next week Wonder Boy will choose not to be INSANELY DISTRACTING during church (um, hello... it is not okay to pull out post it notes to draw on DURING MASS!). Hopefully Super Girl will choose to hand in homework! (How can you do the work and then forget to hand it in????).
I adore these children of mine. How cool is it that they have to feed the dogs and unload the dishwasher for the next week? (New rule: Complain and the punishment duration DOUBLES!!!). Step up and life is pretty easy... shirk your responsibilities and you will find yourself doing time!!!
(Yes, I allow them to negotiate to lesson their consequences... but hey, it you make a bad choice it will take a lot to change your sentence! Do the crime, serve the time!).
I am evil. I know....
I hope Super Girl decides to get on the ball with her math and English classes. It would be sad to learn about applying yourself in summer school... that and it would be sad to have to do chores to make the $$ your parents have to fork over to pay for that summer school.
Ah the joy of learning the hard way. I must be strong so that they learn these lessons now while the cost is small.
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
What are you looking at?
Enough with my pity party, I'm fine. But as I was reflecting back recently, a funny memory came to me....
My kids were young (not yet in kindergarten) and I was having a difficult work week. I had worked overnight and all the next day... I was on my way home and I was ready to sleep for days. My cell phone rang as I drove home late that afternoon. I could barely move. I was dirty and tired and wanted to talk to no one. But, this was another mom of young kids calling... so I took her call. We had a deal -- we called each other if there was an emergency and we needed the other person to pick up our kids from the daycare we both used. Sometimes just sitting on the playground watching both sets of kids could be SUCH a life saver. What is it that makes use need just 15 more minutes in each day?
She was calling to give me bad news. Her kids had come down with something and she need to let me know my kids were exposed. No biggie was my thought... my kids are resilient and we'll get through the flu quickly... "Oh, it's not the flu?"
How bad could it be? The kids were tumbling together just yesterday on the indoor jungle gym and her kids appeared healthy as horses...
She told me she was ashamed, but she couldn't stand herself if she didn't tell me.... her kids had caught LICE!
My skin crawls and itches just to type the word. Hearing it made my head itch.
She told me to go directly to the store to buy the shampoo. She told me to bag up all of the stuffed animals (my kids had a monster amount of stuffed animals) and to put them in the garage for 2 weeks (her claim is that the freezing temperatures would kill all life on the stuffed beasts). She then directed me on vacuuming the entire house (including all furniture and drapes), washing all clothing in scalding temperatures, changing bedding, and all other cleaning precautions taken to avoid multiple and lingering LICE infestations.
I had worked all day the day before, overnight, and a good part of the morning. I was so physically exhausted I thought I was going to die..... and now I had to battle LICE?
I was ready to be shot.
It didn't help that I was on my period and grumpy anyway; now I had to go to the grocery store to buy shampoo that kills LICE. That and tampons.
I called my dear Hubby and told him to strip the beds and the kids. I went to the supermarket in my filthy state (having worked overnight) and I was wishing that NOBODY I knew would see me. I knew my hair looked unwashed and my eyes were red. My clothing was dirty and I was completely disheveled. I hoped that there would be no witnesses to my complete grossness.
I searched and found the LICE killing shampoo. I picked up my feminine supplies while I was at it. By now it was late afternoon and I knew I had a long night ahead of me.... so I put a 6 pack of beer in the cart. I was red eyed, dirty, and now I was buying tampons, beer, and LICE shampoo. All I needed now were generic cigarettes to complete the picture, I know that is what you are thinking.
I got to the checkout line and was kind of creeped out by the odd looking male cashier... but it was the only checkout open so I unloaded my shopping basket onto the counter. He glanced at me and then at my purchases. He proceeded to scan them trying not to make eye contact with me. He bagged my items and gave me my total... trying NOT to make eye contact still. I mean, doesn't everyone buy tampons, beer, and LICE shampoo? Apparently I was creeping him out more than he was creeping ME out! And doesn't everyone look like PURE HELL when they are buying LICE shampoo, tampons, and beer?
Needless to say, the scenario suddenly struck me as was beyond funny... I was handing my money to him as I realized that he was trying to hold it together and not giggle (or run like hell?).
I took my change and thanked him. He gingerly handed me my bag.
"Yes. It has been a rough day, and it will be an even rougher night." I said.
He finally smiled. I held my head up and dragged myself out of there.... oh yes, it was a long night.
My kids were young (not yet in kindergarten) and I was having a difficult work week. I had worked overnight and all the next day... I was on my way home and I was ready to sleep for days. My cell phone rang as I drove home late that afternoon. I could barely move. I was dirty and tired and wanted to talk to no one. But, this was another mom of young kids calling... so I took her call. We had a deal -- we called each other if there was an emergency and we needed the other person to pick up our kids from the daycare we both used. Sometimes just sitting on the playground watching both sets of kids could be SUCH a life saver. What is it that makes use need just 15 more minutes in each day?
She was calling to give me bad news. Her kids had come down with something and she need to let me know my kids were exposed. No biggie was my thought... my kids are resilient and we'll get through the flu quickly... "Oh, it's not the flu?"
How bad could it be? The kids were tumbling together just yesterday on the indoor jungle gym and her kids appeared healthy as horses...
She told me she was ashamed, but she couldn't stand herself if she didn't tell me.... her kids had caught LICE!
My skin crawls and itches just to type the word. Hearing it made my head itch.
She told me to go directly to the store to buy the shampoo. She told me to bag up all of the stuffed animals (my kids had a monster amount of stuffed animals) and to put them in the garage for 2 weeks (her claim is that the freezing temperatures would kill all life on the stuffed beasts). She then directed me on vacuuming the entire house (including all furniture and drapes), washing all clothing in scalding temperatures, changing bedding, and all other cleaning precautions taken to avoid multiple and lingering LICE infestations.
I had worked all day the day before, overnight, and a good part of the morning. I was so physically exhausted I thought I was going to die..... and now I had to battle LICE?
I was ready to be shot.
It didn't help that I was on my period and grumpy anyway; now I had to go to the grocery store to buy shampoo that kills LICE. That and tampons.
I called my dear Hubby and told him to strip the beds and the kids. I went to the supermarket in my filthy state (having worked overnight) and I was wishing that NOBODY I knew would see me. I knew my hair looked unwashed and my eyes were red. My clothing was dirty and I was completely disheveled. I hoped that there would be no witnesses to my complete grossness.
I searched and found the LICE killing shampoo. I picked up my feminine supplies while I was at it. By now it was late afternoon and I knew I had a long night ahead of me.... so I put a 6 pack of beer in the cart. I was red eyed, dirty, and now I was buying tampons, beer, and LICE shampoo. All I needed now were generic cigarettes to complete the picture, I know that is what you are thinking.
I got to the checkout line and was kind of creeped out by the odd looking male cashier... but it was the only checkout open so I unloaded my shopping basket onto the counter. He glanced at me and then at my purchases. He proceeded to scan them trying not to make eye contact with me. He bagged my items and gave me my total... trying NOT to make eye contact still. I mean, doesn't everyone buy tampons, beer, and LICE shampoo? Apparently I was creeping him out more than he was creeping ME out! And doesn't everyone look like PURE HELL when they are buying LICE shampoo, tampons, and beer?
Needless to say, the scenario suddenly struck me as was beyond funny... I was handing my money to him as I realized that he was trying to hold it together and not giggle (or run like hell?).
I took my change and thanked him. He gingerly handed me my bag.
"Yes. It has been a rough day, and it will be an even rougher night." I said.
He finally smiled. I held my head up and dragged myself out of there.... oh yes, it was a long night.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
You will be grounded from TV for 6 months if.....
At what point do these words start to sound insane?
"You will be grounded from TV for the rest of the day."
"You will be grounded from TV for the rest of the week."
"You will be grounded from TV for the rest of the month."
"You will be grounded from TV for the next 6 months."
I am not proud.... but it is effective in getting Wonder Boy and Super Girl off their butts....
On another note....
Above is the Rose of Sharon in my yard -- LOVE it. Hubby saved this one from a construction site a few years ago. He brought the shrub home and planted it against our fence. I love it when it blooms.
My Black Eyed Susan blooms have suffered since a neighbor planted a weed like tree which now blocks the sun. The tree also sheds a nasty black mold on my plants. Ick.
The best perennials are those I gain from others. This came from Hubby's aunt (who I LOVE! I can not believe she is Satan's sister -- she is NOTHING like my mother inlaw).
"You will be grounded from TV for the rest of the day."
"You will be grounded from TV for the rest of the week."
"You will be grounded from TV for the rest of the month."
"You will be grounded from TV for the next 6 months."
I am not proud.... but it is effective in getting Wonder Boy and Super Girl off their butts....
On another note....
Above is the Rose of Sharon in my yard -- LOVE it. Hubby saved this one from a construction site a few years ago. He brought the shrub home and planted it against our fence. I love it when it blooms.
My Black Eyed Susan blooms have suffered since a neighbor planted a weed like tree which now blocks the sun. The tree also sheds a nasty black mold on my plants. Ick.
The best perennials are those I gain from others. This came from Hubby's aunt (who I LOVE! I can not believe she is Satan's sister -- she is NOTHING like my mother inlaw).
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