Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Argh!


How do I keep my calm with a near 10 year old girl who is impossibly sloppy and disorganized with everything that comes her way.
Jackets. Sweaters. Been through dozens. They all end up somewhere in a school yard, and never find their way back home. Or to Lost and Found for that matter.
She can't find a pencil sharpener or eraser on her desk if her life depended on it.
Practice sheets for french test? When she finally tells me they actually have a text (the day before), she forgets to bring it home.

I'm tearing my hair out!
Please, help me - what do I do???

Thursday, November 17, 2011

PTC

Parent teacher conference today.
Am gearing up for a bit of an argument with Kate's teacher. He's in to collective punishments and shouts a lot at the kids in class.
Wish me luck.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Big mouth

I unwillingly raised a few eyebrows in Kate's Aikido class yesterday.
There is an Alpha-boy in the class who is always voicing his own greatness (he also happens to be in Kate's school class, so I have had ample time to study his behavior...), and also letting others know that girls are no good at anything. They can't kick a ball, they can't do team sports, they can't do maths, etc etc.
Yesterday, while doing stretches, the boys were slacking off, not taking it seriously.
- Look at Kate, Sensei said. That's what your meant to do.
(Kate is flexible, and stretches the pants of all the boys.)

- That's because she does ballet, whines Alpha-boy.

- So? I hear my self say across the room.
Everyone looks at me.
- SO?
Every one is quiet.

The other parents are uncomfortable.

I wish I kept my mouth shut.
I just can't take attitude, and laziness, at the cost of making the girls sound weaker. As if ballet is a bad excuse.
But I wish I kept my mouth shut.
I can't fight her battles.

I have a big mouth.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Juggler


Here we go again. Another long break.

I promised myself to never over-schedule my kids, to always make sure they have plenty of time at home, and to teach them that it is OK to be bored, and to use their imagination.
That has worked well. Not.
Kate is currently dancing three nights a week a 1,5 hour, riding 2 hours every Sunday and practicing Aikido Thursday nights.
Leo has swim lessons and soccer tots. Add on the odd birthday party and throw in a few play dates and you have yourselves two very fraught and exhausted parents.

What happened?
I'm not a soccer mom. I'm not a pushy stage mom, or a helicopter parent. How did I get caught up in this?