Deciphering

-
When Josh was seven (the age Carly is now), he was a different sort of kid than his sister.  She is high energy, momentum building, must-have-distractions, "When are we going swimming?" 15 times an hour asking - and we're only a couple weeks into this thing we call summer.  She's bored.  Josh used to get that way sometimes, but mostly he was just happy to have a squirt gun, some legos, or a stick to play with.  And, when he wasn't, I would send him over to Gramma Annie's for a few hours/days.  He was and continues to be mostly self-contained.

This summer I am faced with a rather large dilemma.  Carly wants to do stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  But, we live in the sticks.  The closest park with green grass to play on is 15 minutes away.  And after we arrive, she'll be bored and/or hot in five minutes or less.  (In other words, the payoff just ain't worth it).  She really wants to go swimming.  But that's 45 minutes away and at very specific times of the day.  And I'm just so happy not to be making that drive for classes and work right now. 

Look, I want Carly to have a fun summer.  But - I don't want to do a circus act to make it happen.  Josh didn't train me well enough for that.

Comments

Heather said…
Yes, the joys of the sticks.... I wonder if making a calendar/schedule and putting fun things for her to look forward to on it would help? That way you could reminder her to look at the calendar rather than ask you 15 times a day. And you can schedule just what works for you, rather than feeling like everyday has to be jam pakced? I don't know, good luck.
8:16 AM
Sarah said…
That is a great idea...I'm terrible about follow-through though. But, I think I can work with it!
3:38 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dear Carly,

-
Image
I assume that one day you will come to me wanting to know who you are, where you came from, where your other family is and why they gave you to us.  I offer you little bits of information already, but certainly not crumbs enough to satisfy the appetite.  Perhaps it won't matter to you.  I am assuming a lot, already, about how adoption will impact your life. People often wonder why adoptive parents are hurt when their children seek out biological roots.  I have the answer, and it's very simple.  Adoption - at its core - makes us question the legality, authority, voracity, and validity of parenthood.  For most adoptive parents, first you must come to terms with an issue that strikes at the foundations of mortality: fertility.  From birth, most of us are driven to form families.  First we are nestlings, nurtured and weened and eventually taught to fly.  Then we are nest-builders, filling our lives with the stuff necessary to drive life forward.  Knowledge, safety, money, a stur
Read more

M is for Mother

-
Motherhood is more than carrying a child in your womb for 9 months. Motherhood is more than daily wiping of noses, cleaning of faces, filling of bellies. Motherhood is more than driving, shopping, cleaning, cooking. Motherhood is part of being a Woman, but not all of it. It is part of growing up, for some of us. It is conducive to gaining appreciation, but not for everyone. I was still a child myself, really, when I became a Mother. Joshua and I did a lot of growing up together. We both learned a lot about sacrifice. I learned how to say good-bye to him in the morning, he learned that separation from Mother wasn't such a bad thing after all. Especially since he got to go to Grandma's house (which, sorry Disney, was the happiest place on earth). I learned I could love someone until my heart might burst and be completely enraged at the same time. He learned that the wrinkling of my forehead was not a good sign for anyone. We learned a lot about time, more specifically abo
Read more

And I didn't prepare a speech!

-
Image
My first, and probably only, blogger award! Yay! Thanks to That Girl in Brazil, not only uber cute but uber sweet. I'm supposed to pass on the love to other bloggers by linking them and then posting in their comments. But, seriously, how much more ad space do you guys need? Ok, ok, fine. I pick Mary cause she totally posted her flip flops. And justRandi cause she said she'd come to my house if I sent her an invite. And llegue because she made reference to a certain male body part while shopping in Wal-Mart, plus she beats me at games. and Heather because she makes me giggle and she comments even when my posts are lame. Just passin the <3 I feel super guilty for not linking everybody. But, you wouldn't be on my blog roll if I didn't think you were super cool.
Read more