The Writing Mamas Daily Blog
Each day on the Writing Mamas Daily Blog, a different member will write about mothering.If you're a mom then you've said these words, you've made these observations and you've lived these situations - 24/7.
And for that, you are a goddess.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
School is Almost Out for the Summer!
This simply cannot possibly be true.
It is.
School is almost o-ver!!!!
In my home I'm uncertain who is more excited, my kids or me.
My 16-year old son, who scores so high on his tests but forgets to do his homework, is facing five weeks of hard labor: intense summer school in English and World History.
He has promised us Bs from the summer forward. He will need to if he hopes to get into a decent college.
"You know you're going to be one of those kids left behind and you're way too smart. So just do your homework, please?"
Mimi, my seven-year old, enjoys taunting her older brother that she does not have to go to summer school.
"You're in second grade. There's time. Just wait."
"Jay," I admonish.
The day after Jay gets out of school we are leaving for vacation in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. We will fly into Salt Lake City, I'm still unsure why, and then drive into nature.
My husband knows that I do not camp. I hotel. So he has booked some nice lodges.
Then in early August the kids and I will leave for a week to see my family in Connecticut and we'll visit New York City and Boston. I'm taking my kids and niece and nephews to see the play, Hair. They don't know the ending. But the sun will definitely be shining in. It will be their first Broadway play and I'm excited to share it with them.
We'll catch fireflies at dusk and watch them light up Mason jars with their light bulb-like backs and then set them free. During the mornings we'll take long walks down Martha Stewartesque country roads. I'll laugh with my sisters. And probably fight a bit, too. The cousins we'll also laugh. And probably argue as well. This is why my husband stays home. He is not used to the noise. I grew up with it. To me it's just ambient sounds.
In between there is camp for Mimi three days a week and play dates on the other two. I sense this is going to be a beautiful summer. We'll see old friends and hang out with our neighbors.
The opportunity to slow down, reflect and enjoy is that for which I hope. The reality, I know, is more likely my son will forget to do his homework and my daughter will say -- just as she does about school -- that she doesn't want to go to camp.
Still, I look forward to the respite. Even if it's only in my imagination.
By Dawn Yun
Labels: Boston, By Dawn Yun, College, Connecticut, English cucumber, Grand Tetons, homework, New York, school is over, school vacation, summer camps, summer school, World History, Yellowstone
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Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Freedom Fighter
My family and friends find it extremely amusing to remind me of a time when I used to question the necessity of having children. “They just weigh one down,” I would pontificate. How could one be impulsive or do anything spontaneous such as fly off to Europe with friends on a whim?
I can’t ever imagine giving up this freedom, I would famously say.
But I did, willingly, periodically lamenting what I gave up with the caveat, “but I got so much more in return!”
Then a few years ago I joined my best friend for a girl’s weekend in New York. It would be the first time I was away since my daughter was born. I flew to N.Y. on sheer euphoria, Ah! To be free and footloose once again!
But from the moment I landed, I missed my daughter so much I could hardly move a muscle. It was as close to a panic attack as you could get. I would have flown back immediately if it wouldn’t have seemed crazy.
How had I become this person who couldn’t even breathe when her child was out of range?
When my mother asked about my trip all I said was, “I’m never doing that again.”
And I didn’t - nixing any idea that even suggested a trip without kids.
That was over three years ago. From the sidelines I envied moms who went for business trips or girlfriend weekends and though they missed their children, seemed to do it without being paralyzed by some indefinable fear.
Now another friend has invited me to Las Vegas.
“Go,” says my husband, “it’ll be good for you. She was fine the last time and she’ll be fine this time, too.”
So, in the interest of showing that I have positively matured since my N.Y. trip, I agree. My friend and I have spent the last few days booking our hotels and flights and looking at our choice of shows on the Internet.
Should we go for some Cirque du Soleil extravaganza or magic show or concert? Or something Vegas-like and adult?
Wait a minute…what’s this?
“Thunder From Down Under!”
“A tasteful and titillating time for everyone…” states the review.
Both tasteful and titillating? Well in that case. . . maybe I could be persuaded to enjoy a few days of freedom after all.
By Tania Malik Stumble This Post
I can’t ever imagine giving up this freedom, I would famously say.
But I did, willingly, periodically lamenting what I gave up with the caveat, “but I got so much more in return!”
Then a few years ago I joined my best friend for a girl’s weekend in New York. It would be the first time I was away since my daughter was born. I flew to N.Y. on sheer euphoria, Ah! To be free and footloose once again!
But from the moment I landed, I missed my daughter so much I could hardly move a muscle. It was as close to a panic attack as you could get. I would have flown back immediately if it wouldn’t have seemed crazy.
How had I become this person who couldn’t even breathe when her child was out of range?
When my mother asked about my trip all I said was, “I’m never doing that again.”
And I didn’t - nixing any idea that even suggested a trip without kids.
That was over three years ago. From the sidelines I envied moms who went for business trips or girlfriend weekends and though they missed their children, seemed to do it without being paralyzed by some indefinable fear.
Now another friend has invited me to Las Vegas.
“Go,” says my husband, “it’ll be good for you. She was fine the last time and she’ll be fine this time, too.”
So, in the interest of showing that I have positively matured since my N.Y. trip, I agree. My friend and I have spent the last few days booking our hotels and flights and looking at our choice of shows on the Internet.
Should we go for some Cirque du Soleil extravaganza or magic show or concert? Or something Vegas-like and adult?
Wait a minute…what’s this?
“Thunder From Down Under!”
“A tasteful and titillating time for everyone…” states the review.
Both tasteful and titillating? Well in that case. . . maybe I could be persuaded to enjoy a few days of freedom after all.
By Tania Malik
Labels: girl's weekend, Las Vegas, Mother freedom, New York
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