Are You Smarter Than A 4th Grader

The answer is clearly no. I found out a long time ago that even though you are the parent and you have the higher education, the kids have more parent street smarts than you do. I guess they have more time to spend analyzing and dissecting you than you do them. After all, they are just kids, what is hard figuring that out? When they are born, you feed them, change their diapers, hold them and tell them how much you love them. As they become more independent of these basic parenting acts, they spend their time manipulating your mind. It started with fashion and then "you didn't say I couldn't" or "that's not what you said".
I guess I always figured that I had it good until they would become teenagers, but after getting outsmarted on a regular basis in Kindergarten I came to realize that I was already behind and no amount of parenting books could help. I guess I will struggle along and at least act like I know what is going on and hope that I survive it?

Proud Dad

It's great to be proud of the kids for whatever they do whether it be good grades in school or their performance in sports. The hard part comes when you need to dish out equal amounts of praise and you want to be careful not to fill their heads with more than they can handle or you set them up to fail. It's important to be supportive and that helps them grow. For example, if they are struggling in school and they can use extra help than you help them through the difficulty to put them back on track. The idea is not to do their homework for them or to encourage them not to work on an area that may come easy for them. With sports it's the same idea. I was careful this week to encourage the kids when they performed well. His two goals in hockey and her back to back strikeouts in softball. I don't think they keep score, but I want them to feel that I watch and take an interest and that I don't violate any of the many documents that you sign as a parent about what you are allowed to do or say ! I guess that's where the balancing act comes in. Well, either way I am proud they belong to me.

Disney and Nick.

It's always important to keep an eye on what the kids watch on TV or what they are looking at on the computer. That often requires to watch shows with them. I can remember suffering through Teletubbies and some of the others. I enjoyed watching Arthur and Bear in the Big Blue House. Even now, watching Hannah Montana, I Carly, or The Suite Life of Zack and Cody hasn't been too bad. What can be sad is that when you put them on the bus or they decide to go out and play and you're sitting there still watching those shows. You don't realize it until an hour later that you're still watching the kids' shows and there are no kids around.

1st Communion

What can I say. It was a wonderful time even though we were promised that it wouldn't rain. The coordinator said she had an arrangement with God. I guess the drizzling that it was doing all morning doesn't qualify. The church was packed, it was warm, and you couldn't take pictures, but other than that it was great and our family was together. All f the kids looked great and we had a wonderful meal at the Chateau. I tried remembering what mine was like and all I could remember was the procession into church that began in the high school parking lot and ended in the middle aisle. I was dressed in a white suit. You know, the kind that you can't use for anything else. Time goes by quick and you take it all in.

Slumber Party

I did it. I survived my daughter's slumber party. I wasn't sure how it was going to go. Six 10 year- olds running around and screaming. It started at 4:30pm on Saturday afternoon and finished around 11:00am Sunday. There were several games outdoors, making sock puppets, monkey bread, pancakes and banana splits. My head was spinning as all of them talked all the time. I wouldn't have been able to add a word in even if I needed to. I think they watched a movie and played some game called "truth or dare". I didn't ask any questions as I didn't want to know the answers. My only involvement was at midnight when I gave the "don't make me come down there speech" as it was time for them to fall asleep. A great group of kids having fun and not making what little hair I have left turn more gray. I would say a good time had by all !

School Bus Education

The future of education is not in the classroom, but on the school bus. We need to forget about veteran teachers, new textbooks, or renovated buildings. We need to put our money into school buses !
The reason I say this is that when I ask my children how school is, they tell me stories about things they saw or heard on the school bus. It also seems that the principal has visited the school bus more than she has their classrooms.
Instead of helping them with their homework I find myself answering their "school bus" questions. Why did the principal come onto the school bus and why did the bus driver raise her voice. My answer is consistently the same,"because children are bad".
Who would have guessed that education is better served in a mobile classroom during a 20 minute ride?

Softball Practice

An interesting place to spend some time. Young girls learning the game and putting it all together in anticipation of the beginning of a new season. The latest "softball fashions" are on display. I did what I could to help my daughter with some instruction on throwing, catching and hitting. Despite my advice, she is doing very well.
It's fun to watch the coach pull it together as he shows them the basics and the girls are discussing what happened in school or what the latest gossip was. They seem to be having fun and if nothing else they are building confidence, self-discipline and self esteem. It works for me.
We do our best to support our kids as they learn and improve and try never to forget that it's about having fun. They have plenty of time to solve world peace and hunger later !