It’s not your imagination. The blog posts around here have been getting skimpier and skimpier. What gives? Well, a lot of things.
Like many bloggers I dove head first into posting pictures and words. Honeysmoke provided an outlet for my writing as I tried to make sense of my children. It was fun. I wrote what I wanted, when I wanted. Then people started reading and responding. The site developed a group of loyal followers, and I learned their likes and dislikes. Slowly, I censored my words, held a little back, toned down my thoughts.
I love Simone and Nadia. They bring me immeasurable joy. Even the bad times aren’t really bad times. I delight in hearing their voices, their giggles. I love how they wake up every morning and everything that happened yesterday is in the past. If only adults could learn how to let go like that, the world we be such a better place. It’s hard to believe they are growing up so fast, becoming their own little selves, pulling away from me, little by little. They are my muse, and I love writing about them, documenting slivers of their lives.
Loving them means I want to protect them. I want to shield them from the people and things I can and cannot see. That’s what parents do. I said all of that to say this: I’ve been thinking about shutting down the blog. I don’t want to do that. I really don’t. I’m thinking about how I can make the blog more useful, and I need a little help. I am open to ideas. Please write one or two or three suggestions in the comments section. This self-conscious blogger will appreciate them.
I knew Simone’s kindergarten would be different from mine. I went for a half day, and there was plenty of time for recess, show and tell and games. Simone goes all day and has reading, P.E. math, science, social studies and, eventually, standardized tests. Whew! When did kindergarten become third grade? Based on early results, I predict Simone will be fine. My prognosis remains uncertain.
I ask a lot of questions these days. Here are 10 answers.
1. Do you like school? Yes.
2. What’s the best part of school? Lunch. I ate sweet peas, squash and ketchup with bread.
3. What’s four plus four? Eight.
4. Do you like the bus? No. I don’t like waiting for the bus.
5. Why are you crying? I’m a little nervous.
6. What’s the difference between perschool and the Big Kid School? No hugs at the Big Kid School.
7. Did you enjoy P.E.? Yes. They have a penalty box for kids who don’t follow directions.
8. What’s the neatest thing about school? The Promethian Board.
9. What happened at school today? A girl in my class got sick.
10. Why are you crying? I’m tired.
She’s so cute; I think she’s a he.
Nadia, our resident entomologist, after she discovered a caterpillar on the sidewalk.
[dropcap2]I[/dropcap2]n this week’s report, how to raise a civic-minded child, why some parents are waiting a year for kindergarten and a mothering essay. Enjoy!
Good Kid: Raising a civic-minded child. Source: The Kansas City Star
Parenting: Waiting for kindergarten. Source: 6abc.com
Blog Post: Judging Mothers. Source: New York Times
Good Kids: What did your kid do during summer vacation? He helped build a car. Source: Scholastic
From the Aww Files. Baby hippo born at Berlin zoo. Source: Scoop
In Word World, animal bodies are composed of letters that spell what they are. In Word World, these same animals go on adventures and confront problems that can only be resolved with a word. In Word World, the characters build a word and it comes to life.
We just discovered Word World. How did we miss this show? Oh, I know. It doesn’t come on our local PBS station. Never fear; Amazon is here. I ordered three Word World videos and Simone and Nadia ask to watch them every day. Every day. That is not a typo. I am not exaggerating. I just wish I didn’t have to pay for it. Note to self: Write letter to PBS station asap.
I am tickled I am one of 18 finalists in the SheWrites Passion Project. It’s called the Passion Project because agents often take on an author just because they are passionate about the work. A group of judges will choose a winner who will get a ton of feedback from an agent and others in the publishing business. There can only be one winner, and I’m honored to be chosen from 291 entries. Being a finalist is a step on my journey to publication. The winner will be announced Sept. 7. Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.
Simone came home from school asking about plums. Had she ever had one? What are they? What do they taste like?
My mind started turning. This was an opportunity to introduce a new food. A healthy food. A fruit.
“Next time we’re at the store I’ll see if plums are in season,” I told Simone. A few days later, I rolled up to the produce section. A huge stack of plums sat waiting for customers to take them home.
“Look, Simone. These are plums.”
Simone was excited. Nadia who has a love of all things purple was immediately smitten. I was tickled.
I picked up four of the juicy treats, put them in a bag and smiled all the way to the check out. Plums! My picky eaters want plums. My kids, the ones who eat all of five foods, are going to eat plums.
The excitement grew at home. Simone and Nadia pointed out the plums to Daddy. He shared in my delight.
Ken washed the plums and presented them to the girls. I pointed out the seed in the middle, and they both took a bite. Simone and Nadia didn’t look comfortable eating them, and Ken offered to cut them up. By this time, Nadia had had enough and left her plum on the table. It looked like the forbidden fruit. Only a tiny patch of the plum had been tasted. Simone waited for her plum to be cut into bite-sized pieces. She ate a few pieces and then walked away. Game over.
