Children returned to classes this week after winter break.
And while lots of friends posted on Facebook or commented to me that they’re happy life is “back to normal,” I’m convinced there is no “normal” in our household — or maybe in parenthood at all!
Sure, my kids are sitting today in their classes and tonight they’ll come home with homework for the first time in weeks. But it’s the other hours of the day that fluctuate like the daily stock market.
Those are the hours before or after school when they have all their “extras” and my minivan puts on a few more miles.
For example, for eight weeks last fall my daughter participated in soccer practice once a week. That ended mid-December. The eight weeks prior, my son had weekly golf lessons.
Previous to that, both children attended weekly tutoring sessions for three months.
See, nothing is ever “normal.” No wonder my Google calendar is confused. While the kids are adjusting to homework again, I’m trying to remember when they have to be where!
Grandparents got my 10-year-old son another round of golf lessons for Christmas. I still need to schedule that (and he is super excited). And I’m finally fulfilling a two-year wish to get the kids into piano class.
If I remember all this right, that means our new schedule is daily school, nightly homework, weekly golf and weekly piano.
And in five months, everything gets tossed up in the air again as summer vacation begins and swim and dive team start.
It certainly makes life interesting and very full and enjoyable for all of us.
At this point, neither big kid has expressed interest in participating in a sport or activity at a competitive level. I suppose when that happens our “once-a-week” activity schedule will greatly change. I’ll embrace that when it happens, but for now, I’ll take our casual approach.
So here’s to the start of a New Year and the fun and change that comes with it ‑ sometimes on a daily basis.
Contact writer: (480) 898-6549 or mreese@evtrib.com
Leon Ceniceros posted at 12:51 pm on Fri, Jan 11, 2013.
Excuse me....Excuse me...........just when do these "CHILDREN"...get some time to be just......."Children" ???
These "Children" .......are not ......."YOUNG ADULTS".........quit putting them in......."ADULT STRUCTURED AND CONTROLLED" ...situations.
Childhood only lasts so long............let them play in the backyard by themselves with toys or whatever and neighborhood kids.
MY GAWD.........LET THEM BE KIDS FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN......IF THEY WANT TO LEARN GOLF, SWIMMING, SOCCER, BAND, DANCE, GYMNASTICS, TAE KWAN DO, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, BALLET........WHATEVER........THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME WHEN THEY ARE TEEN-AGERS AND ..........HAVE THEIR.....THEIR CHOICES AS TO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO...........STOP BEING A CHAUFFER AND START BEING A MOM FOR A CHANGE.