From the mouths of babes
Well, she is supposed to be my baby… but at 10 years old she doesn’t like to be called that any longer. I accept that I have to come to terms with that. But worse than that (for me), she acts and speaks a whole lot more mature than even her 10 years! What do you think? Let me give you some examples:
Exhibit 1 – After taking her to a Newark Bears Game (her 1st baseball game), that the Bears lost (by a lot).
Me: I hope you still had fun even though the Bears lost.
Her: I had a GREAT time. I got to spend time with family and friends, and that is always fun. The final score doesn’t matter.
Exhibit 2 – After I try and select a movie to watch for Daddy-Daughter Night
Me: What do you think of this one?
Her: This is PG-13… are you sure it is age appropriate for me?
Exhibit 3 – After her aunt asked her if she still was watched Hannah Montana
Her: The show isn’t entertaining any more, and her music isn’t as good as it used to be, so I’ve moved on to other things.
Aunt: So what do you like now?
Her: Bad Romance by Lady Gaga (this one just about killed me on multiple levels)
Exhibit 4 – After seeing a commercial for Zhu-Zhu Pets
Me: Have you ever seen them before?
Her: (Unenthusiastically) Yeah, I’ve seen ‘em
Me: Not interested, huh?
Her: Nah, maybe when I was younger, but now I don’t think I would play with them enough to justify the expense.
So, like it or not she is growing up… far faster than I would like… but fortunately not as quickly as her maturity level would suggest. Is it just her? Is it just me being in denial? Do your kids act far more mature than you would expect for their age?
What you like to do
I have always been lucky in that for the most part I have been able to work doing things that I enjoy doing. Sometimes it meant getting paid for what I do, other times it meant doing it for fun. Back in the late 90′s I did a website based on vacationing at the Jersey Shore, purely as a project of love. As the world of blogging took over my focus, I had given up on the venture promising on day to return to it, and possibly reinvent it as a vaction blog of where to go and what to do when on vacation in New Jersey.
Imagine my surprise, when Whit provided me with the opportunity to do it as part of a project on a much grander scale. Anyway, due to some slip ups, I am only getting started, but I will be joining a band of most excellent bloggers (check out the About Us page for the list of stars I will be trying to live up to) , writing at UpTake.com.
Yesterday was actually the official launch, and you can check out the official launch of their Travel Network Blog. For those that like read such things, there is even an official press release of the launch event (that I missed), for everybody else, just go and check out everything they have to offer, because with real reviews and blogs written by real people and not, say… imaginary gnomes, UpTake is … Your first Step to a Great Trip.
She knows how to butter ‘em up
LatteGirl: We have a new girl in our class
Me: Oh, Yeah?
LatteGirl: Yeah, she is from Korea and she is real nice. But my teacher says she needs to be fattened up a little.
Me: Why is that?
LatteGirl: Because she is so tiny and skinny. She is almost as skinny as mommy.
And I am now pretty sure anything LatteGirl asks for from now at least through the end of the week, her mom will be more than happy to indulge her in getting.
Balancing Santa and reality
In some ways I consider myself lucky that at 8 years old, LatteGirl still believes in Santa Claus. At least for one more year we can keep this charade alive. Reality and real life will seep in soon enough and take away some of her childhood innocense, and anything that can beat that back for just a little bit longer is fine with me.
She is already feeling a bit conflicted with messages from both school and Sunday school, being told the Christian mythology that Jesus is the “reason for the season.” (Please, stop the e-mails, I am not condemning any religion, but the fact is that the celebration of Jesus’ birth celebration was assigned to conincide with the Yule season. And besides, it isn’ t the point). Like many people, the holiday season this year will be cut back a bit as we tighten our belts and deal with economic uncertainty. But how do you explain and rationalize that with a child that believes in Santa Claus?
We have told her (as we have over the past couple of years) that the more expensive the gifts she asks for, the fewer in number she will actually receive. However, in the past, she just accepted this at face value. Now however, we have to balance reasoning and questioning. Why? Santa doesn’t “buy” gifts, he “makes” them, so why does cost matter?
The expense has also put a crimp in one other tradition I had started with her a few years back, where I get her to pick out at the store, one gift that she would “really, really, really” like to have, purchase that gift, and then she puts it into the Toys for Tots collection bin. It serves at a reminder to be kind to those that are less fortunate, and also (I hope) reminds that giving isn’t just about giving up what you don’t want anymore. (After all it is much easier to give a toy that she doesn’t actually want or like, but I try to stress to her if she would like it, so would some other child that perhaps wouldn’t get such a nice gift). This of course is not as easy since her taste has gotten a bit more expensive. Sure, I would love to buy a Wii a donate it, but I just don’t have that kind of money to throw around. Also, now she queries why Santa give less to poor children.
How do you do it? How do you instill good values, teach about being good to others, teach understanding of economic issues, stay on budget, and still keep it so that it doesn’t completely destroy the magic? I am open to suggestions.
Happy 80th
In 1994, several month before TheWife and I are to be married, we got a frightening call. My mother was rushed to the hospital, she was completely incoherent.
The initial situation turned out to be that she had gone into insulin shock. Diabetic? Test results said no. As it turned out she was diagnosed with
At the time we didn’t know if she was going to make it to see our Wedding Day. She did, and has been battling cancer ever since. Some 14 years later, numerous operations, and 2-1/2 years of chemotherapy she is still with us.
I think the fact that we didn’t think she would see 70 years old, only made it more special when my sister and I were able to suprise Mom last week with an 80th birthday party.
The party had to be a surprise, because my mom is the type of person that would never allow us to throw a party in her honor. As a matter of fact, much like my father, who I did not find out many things about until just before he passed away, there were some things I found out about mom as my sister and I snuck around getting ready for the party, like my mom used to hand make dolls and was presented an award in a doll making contest by Ed Sullivan.
Not that any of this is imporant, because above all, what she has been is a great person, and an even better mom, and I am just happy to have had this opportunity to celebrate this milestone with her. I love you mom.
-
Sponsors
