Moms of boys

Some things I've learned about being a mother to boys.  These are things you probably don't know about if you have little girls.  Now, I will say that my little girl does some of these too because she is the baby of the family and tends to act more like her brothers at times.  I'm telling you, these boys are something else!

Moms of boys...

• know how to deal with sports equipment that are particular to boy parts.  Knowing how to protect a boy's "fruit basket" is common knowledge.
• know that boys stink between the ages of 11-15 and there's not much that will fix that.  You can clean, you can have all the best smelling candles, you can wash their clothes, and their rooms will still smell like a locker room.  
• have mini-vans or SUVs that can adequately carry sports bags, coolers of sports drinks and water, snacks, extra sports equipment, and extra kids (usually boys).
• have vehicles that smell like locker rooms.
• have to buy groceries all the time.  They eat everything.  You cook dinner, they eat it, but 20 minutes later they are back in the kitchen, looking in the fridge or cabinets for something to eat.
• know that when brothers fight, something is likely to get broken - a picture frame, a wall, a bone.  It's best to let them go outside and fight it out, especially when they are bigger than you are!  Give them boxing gloves first or someone will end up in the ER or doctor's office.
• know to roll the windows down in the vehicle when their son says, "It's gonna stink in a minute" or "I let one" or "My belly hurts" or "You're gonna need to open a window".  This is especially painful when it's below 30 degrees outside and the van is full of other kids that join the stinky fun!
• know all the best Chuck Norris jokes.
• have lots of dirty laundry and usually know all the best tricks for getting stains out of clothes.
• will watch YouTube videos of the NFL's hardest hits or World's most awesome (insert sport activity here) over and over again.  Or, you will repeatedly watch home videos of your kids playing sports just to see that one great touchdown or awesome line drive past short stop.
• know that when you hear "Hey, I've got a good idea" it's probably not a good idea.  Someone's gonna end up in the ER or doctor's office.

My boys melt my heart and make me laugh.  It is never a dull moment around here.  And throw in the little mama and conversations get really interesting!  I'll have to post what I've learned from my daughter at a later date but tonight my boys just had me rolling on the floor laughing...well, at least during the ride home from church.

Be blessed!

Jen

A little depressed and need to vent

This is not my normal, upbeat, great idea-filled post.  I'm ranting and complaining and venting in this one. 

I am tired of my job.  I am tired of dealing with disrespectful teenagers with a sense of entitlement who feel like they shouldn't have to study and work hard to earn a grade.  And they act like I am crazy when I actually expect them to recall facts and details on a quiz or test.  I love Spanish - the language, the culture, the art, the literature - but I am really getting frustrated as each day goes by.  The overall laziness and lack of self-discipline just drags me down.  Which brings me to another related topic - paperless classroom.  It is rumored that we will be going to a completely paperless classroom within 2 years.  I don't want it.  First of all, I have a creative, artsy spirit that just can't deal with all this technology (and I'm getting older and set in my ways).  I like the hands-on projects and real posters, not the computer-generated kind.  That's the selfish part of it.  But here's the big thing.  I don't want my children to learn that way.  I want my children to know how to access and use the creative part of their brains, which won't happen if this paperless classroom truly takes hold.  I've read many studies and books on brain development and we will raise an entire generation of children that will never use an entire section of their brain if we continue on this path.  I don't want that.  I will find somewhere else to take my family.  Think about it - all textbooks are online, all assignments are typed into a document, posters are created on computers, etc.  What about children who don't successfully learn that way?  I have one of those kids.  I just don't like it.

I am overwhelmed.  I feel like I can't come up for air.  I am behind on grading papers.  I am frustrated with planning interesting lessons where all 29 of my students are actively engaged while also utilizing technology, reading strategies and writing assessments.  I have to work out details of danceteam tryouts, parent meetings, and uniform fittings.  I have to get applications ready to give to qualified students eligible for the Spanish honor society inductions.  I have to set a date for the induction, get a small reception together, and order cords and certificates for the inductees.  I have children who play sports and do other activities in the afternoons that have me driving all over town for a couple of hours every day.  I have church activities on Wednesdays that I enjoy but because I am so consumed feels like just another chore on my to-do list.  And sometime during all this, I have to keep my house clean, wash clothes, and feed the family.

Money.  I need more of it to pay off some debts but I can't find the time.  I try to sell on Etsy but it just isn't happening right now.  I filed my taxes and we are due a refund but, honestly, I'm worried a collector will seize it before I ever get to decide what debts I want to pay off with it.  I have a plan, a good one, if I can just get the refund before the collection agency does.  Snowball.  I want to pay 2 debts with it and have a little left over for some new sports equipment for the kids.  They have all grown and need cleats, bats and gloves.  That stuff is expensive.  I pray that it all works out like I have planned. 

I need a vacation.  I realize that.  I just might take a "mental health day" for myself.  I need it.  I deserve it.  We do have a holiday coming soon but I don't know if I'll make it until then!  Some, well, most, of this seems so petty and there are so many more important issues out there to worry about but for right now, I needed to get this off my mind so I can sleep.  This blog is kinda like my little therapy session with myself to try to maintain my sanity.  I feel a little better and now I think I can relax enough to get a good night's sleep.

Well, I guess this counts as my Sunday Summary since I did summarize what's been going on the past week.  It also counts as the Monday Money Matters post since I did mention money.  OK.  Maybe I will post something more uplifting tomorrow, if I have time to post. 

Be blessed.