In mid-September, Matt came home with a note from school letting me know that he was eligible for their Title 1 reading program. Knowing that he's a pretty bright kid and what I thought was a strong (though sometimes a little lazy) reader for his age, to say I was surprised would be an understatement. I just happened to be at a PTO meeting that night, giving me access to the school's principal, and started asking questions so that I could better understand what Title 1 was and why Matt was "eligible".
Title 1 was established by the U.S. Department of Education to improve the quality of education and support students performing below standard in reading and math and currently serves more than 12 million students each year. Generally speaking, the program is designed to ensure that all students, regardless of their backgrounds and regardless of what school they attend, have the skills needed to succeed in school and in life.
The principal told me a little about the expectations for first grade students and suggested that I reach out to the Title 1 reading teacher, which I immediately did. The Title 1 teacher, Cindee Lago, told me that Matt has "great letter/sound knowledge" but struggled with words he did not recognize. By joining Reading Club, the expectation was that he'd quickly learn to use that letter/sound recognition to figure out the words that he was not identifying at first sight. I spoke with a guidance counselor who assured me of the value of the program and suggested that I should take advantage of any extra help that was available and so I signed the required forms giving permission for Matt to participate.
At back to school night a week later, we had the chance to talk with both Mrs. Lago and Matt's first grade teacher, Ms. Clair. We talked about what Matt misses in the classroom during his one hour of Reading Club (it's writing) and the ways writing is incorporated into Reading Club. I felt better knowing Matt wouldn't be falling behind in some other area because of the extra attention he required to get his reading skills caught up to his peers. Both teachers also shared their expectations that Matt likely needed just a little boost; they didn't expect that he would stay in the program for the full year.
Once I know what's expected of my kids, I like to think I do a great job of reinforcing what they are learning in school, of providing extra practice. This became almost routine to us as we moved Cathy through the Early Intervention Program; I always insisted that the therapists see her both at home and at school (even though most would have preferred to see her only at school) because I wanted to be involved in the things they were doing with her. How could I practice and reinforce skills if I didn't see the ways in which the therapists worked with her. The point is, if you give me a to-do list for my kids, I'm all on board and will make it a priority to help them as best I can.
Flash forward just a few weeks. Matt has been coming home with extra reading materials, progressively harder books that are ahead of where they are in the reading curriculum. He reads through them easily and eagerly, which is nice to see. He has learned to slow down, to point to the words on the page before he says them rather than just filling in whatever he thinks the words should be. He's doing a much better job of sounding out words that he doesn't recognize. And when he struggles with a word or two in a sentence, he'll read it again after we've helped him out with it because he wants to get it right!
This afternoon, I got an email from the Title 1 teacher:
"I have spoken with (Ms. Clair) and we both feel Matthew is quickly learning to read!!! I am recommending that he be monitored by me instead of coming every day for Reading Club. We are going to tell him this on Monday and Tuesday will be his last day coming for the hour long program."
I'm very proud of my little boy. He's worked hard and it shows. And while we expected that Matt wouldn't spend a full year in Reading Club, both Rich and I were surprised that he would be discharged from the program so quickly.
He'll still come home with extra books to read and spelling words to work on each week, but starting Wednesday morning, no more daily trips to Reading Club. I haven't told Matt yet, but I suspect he'll be a little disappointed. I think that's a great reflection on Mrs. Lago who is one of the most enthusiastic teachers I've ever met and someone who is so good at and loves her job. Considering she's been at it for the better part of 40 years, I find that simply amazing.
Thanks, Reading Club, for getting Matt started on what I hope will be a lifelong love of reading. And Goodbye!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Getting ready for the Mountainback
I've been away from the blog for a while, though I don't really have a good excuse for that... perhaps after such a busy, adventurous summer, I am afraid that the everyday aspects of life may not be as exciting to read about. I've read through some other 'mommy blogs' the last few weeks and am finding that the most popular ones seem to rant, swear, and complain about something - kids, work, spouse, celebrities, you name it. And even though I could probably find a list of things to complain about myself, I prefer to focus on the positive things in life. If I thought too much about the other stuff, I doubt I would get out of bed.
The biggest 'negative' in my life right now is unemployment. But even that, in many ways, is a blessing. One thing that has been really nice about all this extra time that I have (the time that I am not looking for a job, caring for the kids, volunteering, etc.) is that I am out running again. A lot. Between my Warrior Wound back in June and a busy schedule with the kids, I don't think I logged more than 50 miles all summer. But in September, I logged 65 (you can check out my running progress via RunKeeper). Not a record by any stretch, but it sure is nice to get my running groove back again!
I try to schedule a handful of running events throughout the year so I have something to motivate me in my training; right now, the goal is the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon. Now before you start thinking I have completely lost my mind over the last nine months, I am NOT running all 50 miles myself. But, I will be doing 10.4 of them... and I am really excited about this race. I've had friends run this race before and I've heard many good things about the experience. I almost entered last year with a group from work, but we somehow never got our act together in time. I am glad things worked out this year (though with a different group of people) as the event benefits one of my favorite local charities - the Bob Perks Fund.
The Fund was established in memory of (surprise) Bob Perks back in 2005... Bob was just 42 years old when he lost a three-year battle with cancer. I worked with Bob for years and his death hit me hard, not just because he was young, but because he had such young children. As a mother, I grieved for what his two sons lost. And even now, I will sometimes think about how lucky I am to be here with my kids, to watch them grow, to create memories with them.
Bob was very active with Penn State's chapter of Coaches vs. Cancer and always wanted a way to make an impact locally, but he was never really able to do that. His wife, Doreen, started the fund to provide financial assistance to local families struggling to make ends meet while in the midst of their own fight with cancer. The organization provides money for basic necessities - things like rent, utilities, groceries, gas, etc. that patients often cannot afford because their treatment has taken them away from work or depleted their savings. Last year, they allocated more than $130,000 to roughly 130 families. If you are a resident of State College or the surrounding area, I encourage you to check out the charity, donate your time or your money (or maybe even both) to this worthwhile cause.
This year's run will be on October 23... just two weeks from today. I am excited for this, but I am intimidated as hell too. The first of the two legs I am scheduled to run is considered "difficult". It is 6.2 miles long and includes a roughly 600 foot rise in elevation, most of it over a brutal one-mile stretch. I ran this as part of the Discovery Series about a month ago and thought that I was going to die right there on the side of the mountain. I've spent much of the last few weeks attempting to train for the run, though I am not really sure how much better off I am now than I was a month ago. A friend suggested I could probably power-walk the hill as fast as I could run it, and he's probably right. But I will give it my best shot. If nothing else, I figure I have a leg up now on training for the Nittany Valley Half Marathon (which features a mile-long climb starting just short of the 12-mile mark).
My second leg, the final leg of the Mountainback is "easy"... 4.2 miles, mostly downhill. With eight of us running an expected average pace of 10 minutes per mile, I just hope I reach the finish line before dark. Every day is shorter than the one before it, so if we don't get one of the early start times, that's a legitimate worry. Of course, it may also help me turn in the fastest 4.2 mile run of my life... the last thing I want is to be alone in the woods in the dark, no matter how good a cause I am running for.
The biggest 'negative' in my life right now is unemployment. But even that, in many ways, is a blessing. One thing that has been really nice about all this extra time that I have (the time that I am not looking for a job, caring for the kids, volunteering, etc.) is that I am out running again. A lot. Between my Warrior Wound back in June and a busy schedule with the kids, I don't think I logged more than 50 miles all summer. But in September, I logged 65 (you can check out my running progress via RunKeeper). Not a record by any stretch, but it sure is nice to get my running groove back again!
I try to schedule a handful of running events throughout the year so I have something to motivate me in my training; right now, the goal is the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon. Now before you start thinking I have completely lost my mind over the last nine months, I am NOT running all 50 miles myself. But, I will be doing 10.4 of them... and I am really excited about this race. I've had friends run this race before and I've heard many good things about the experience. I almost entered last year with a group from work, but we somehow never got our act together in time. I am glad things worked out this year (though with a different group of people) as the event benefits one of my favorite local charities - the Bob Perks Fund.
The Fund was established in memory of (surprise) Bob Perks back in 2005... Bob was just 42 years old when he lost a three-year battle with cancer. I worked with Bob for years and his death hit me hard, not just because he was young, but because he had such young children. As a mother, I grieved for what his two sons lost. And even now, I will sometimes think about how lucky I am to be here with my kids, to watch them grow, to create memories with them.
Bob was very active with Penn State's chapter of Coaches vs. Cancer and always wanted a way to make an impact locally, but he was never really able to do that. His wife, Doreen, started the fund to provide financial assistance to local families struggling to make ends meet while in the midst of their own fight with cancer. The organization provides money for basic necessities - things like rent, utilities, groceries, gas, etc. that patients often cannot afford because their treatment has taken them away from work or depleted their savings. Last year, they allocated more than $130,000 to roughly 130 families. If you are a resident of State College or the surrounding area, I encourage you to check out the charity, donate your time or your money (or maybe even both) to this worthwhile cause.
This year's run will be on October 23... just two weeks from today. I am excited for this, but I am intimidated as hell too. The first of the two legs I am scheduled to run is considered "difficult". It is 6.2 miles long and includes a roughly 600 foot rise in elevation, most of it over a brutal one-mile stretch. I ran this as part of the Discovery Series about a month ago and thought that I was going to die right there on the side of the mountain. I've spent much of the last few weeks attempting to train for the run, though I am not really sure how much better off I am now than I was a month ago. A friend suggested I could probably power-walk the hill as fast as I could run it, and he's probably right. But I will give it my best shot. If nothing else, I figure I have a leg up now on training for the Nittany Valley Half Marathon (which features a mile-long climb starting just short of the 12-mile mark).
My second leg, the final leg of the Mountainback is "easy"... 4.2 miles, mostly downhill. With eight of us running an expected average pace of 10 minutes per mile, I just hope I reach the finish line before dark. Every day is shorter than the one before it, so if we don't get one of the early start times, that's a legitimate worry. Of course, it may also help me turn in the fastest 4.2 mile run of my life... the last thing I want is to be alone in the woods in the dark, no matter how good a cause I am running for.
Monday, September 26, 2011
A mid-September night at Citizens Bank Park
Three weeks after Hurricane Irene interfered with the last hurrah of summer we were back on the road to Philadelphia for the Phillies-Marlins game that was cancelled in late August when Irene threatened the Delaware Valley.
We went back and forth for the better part of two weeks - do we return the tickets for a refund or do we take the kids out of school for a day and enjoy one last trip to the ballpark. In the end, baseball won.
One of the great things about the kids is their unbelievable enthusiasm for the sport. They know the players, have favorites; they understand the rules of the game, and importantly, they have staying power; both will make it as late in the game as I want to stay. In April, we left at the bottom of the 8th inning (though only because, by that point in the night, it was just me and the kids and I really wanted to beat the crowd out of the stadium). In June, at PNC Park, we not only stayed through the bottom of the 9th, but we spent an hour in line waiting to run the bases. This time around? 10 innings! A new record.
When we made the decision to go to the game, the Phillies still hadn't announced their pitchers. But, with Roy Halladay scheduled for the Wednesday game, I assumed Cliff Lee would take the afternoon game and I'd miss seeing him play by just a few hours. So you can imagine how happy I was when Kyle Kendrick got the start for the early game, leaving Lee to pitch the nightcap!!!
Lee pitched a beautiful game. Eight shutout innings. Double-digit strikeouts. Two outs in the 9th, the Phillies holding a 1-0 lead. I had honestly just leaned over to Rich and said to him: "this is why Lee should win the Cy Young." Seriously... he was nothing short of amazing in August and he'd continued that into September. His wins, not too far behind Halladay or Clayton Kershaw, his other statistics (ERA, strikeouts, shutouts) near the top of the league. And then it happened: a solo home-run that tied the game at 1-1. One less complete-game shutout on Lee's resume. And extra innings. Damn, was I disappointed.
By now, the kids were pretty tired. Cathy kept telling me "I'm ready to go" and I was just about ready to call it a night when Ryan Howard (who did not start the game) came out to play first base. Approaching the bottom of the line-up, it seemed pretty clear the Phillies were positioning him to bat in Cliff Lee's spot. Immediately, Cathy was back in the game. Howard's her guy and she was happy to see him! Michael Schwimmer came out and pitched the top half of the 10th inning. And then, despite Howard's presence in the game, I had not one, but two kids are telling me they were tired and ready to go home. I promised that when the 10th inning was over, we'd leave, whether the game was over or not.
Michael Martinez walked to start the bottom of the inning and then Howard came to the plate. He blasted a 3-1 pitch deep toward center field, scoring Martinez. While Martinez may have scored the winning run, Howard was the hero and Cathy knew it. She jumped up and down, arms in the air, as excited as I've ever seen her. In that moment, I was so thankful that Cliff Lee blew the win. And so, so glad we went to the game! Sometimes the best possible things follow disappointment.
As the season is winding down, the kids and I are spending more and more nights curled up in bed watching the Phillies play on TV. Quite honestly, it's my favorite part of the day. While there's nothing like the excitement of the crowd at Citizens Bank Park, there's nothing better than our cheering section of three.
Here's hoping for a long October. 11 wins. And a trip to Broad Street.
 |
| A cold night at CBP |
One of the great things about the kids is their unbelievable enthusiasm for the sport. They know the players, have favorites; they understand the rules of the game, and importantly, they have staying power; both will make it as late in the game as I want to stay. In April, we left at the bottom of the 8th inning (though only because, by that point in the night, it was just me and the kids and I really wanted to beat the crowd out of the stadium). In June, at PNC Park, we not only stayed through the bottom of the 9th, but we spent an hour in line waiting to run the bases. This time around? 10 innings! A new record.
When we made the decision to go to the game, the Phillies still hadn't announced their pitchers. But, with Roy Halladay scheduled for the Wednesday game, I assumed Cliff Lee would take the afternoon game and I'd miss seeing him play by just a few hours. So you can imagine how happy I was when Kyle Kendrick got the start for the early game, leaving Lee to pitch the nightcap!!!
 |
| Cliff Lee on the mound before the 1st inning starts |
By now, the kids were pretty tired. Cathy kept telling me "I'm ready to go" and I was just about ready to call it a night when Ryan Howard (who did not start the game) came out to play first base. Approaching the bottom of the line-up, it seemed pretty clear the Phillies were positioning him to bat in Cliff Lee's spot. Immediately, Cathy was back in the game. Howard's her guy and she was happy to see him! Michael Schwimmer came out and pitched the top half of the 10th inning. And then, despite Howard's presence in the game, I had not one, but two kids are telling me they were tired and ready to go home. I promised that when the 10th inning was over, we'd leave, whether the game was over or not.
Michael Martinez walked to start the bottom of the inning and then Howard came to the plate. He blasted a 3-1 pitch deep toward center field, scoring Martinez. While Martinez may have scored the winning run, Howard was the hero and Cathy knew it. She jumped up and down, arms in the air, as excited as I've ever seen her. In that moment, I was so thankful that Cliff Lee blew the win. And so, so glad we went to the game! Sometimes the best possible things follow disappointment.
As the season is winding down, the kids and I are spending more and more nights curled up in bed watching the Phillies play on TV. Quite honestly, it's my favorite part of the day. While there's nothing like the excitement of the crowd at Citizens Bank Park, there's nothing better than our cheering section of three.
Here's hoping for a long October. 11 wins. And a trip to Broad Street.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Back to School Night
Back to School Night was on Tuesday. We're veterans of sorts, having been through one of these last year when Matt first went to kindergarten, but it's still very different when you have two kids in school, two sets of teachers to talk to, two classrooms to explore.
A week ago, Matt brought home a letter indicating that he was eligible for Title 1 reading. I was completely caught off guard by this; on the home front, Matt comes across as a strong reader and if there were signs that he was having a hard time, I either did not recognize them, or I dismissed them simply because he is a six-year old child and I did not understand the expectations that schools have for first graders.
When the letter first came home, I immediately reached out to the Title 1 reading teacher. In our conversations, I learned that Matt struggles with words he does not recognize. I know this about him, I've seen him come to difficult words in books that we've read together and complain that 'it's too hard'. So I help him sound it out letter by letter, ultimately giving the answer rather than letting him work through it on his own. Now I know that I am doing him no favors... and in just a week of 'Reading Club' I already see him working through those unknown words.
At Back to School Night, we had a chance to meet the Title 1 reading teacher and she's a lovely woman. Many, many years of experience. And she clearly loves what she does.
I spoke with Matt's first grade teacher. She tells me that both she and Mrs. Lago (the reading teacher) believe Matt likely just needs a little boost to start the year and that he's unlikely to spend too much time in 'Reading Club'. She also tells me that he talks. A lot. He's a very social kid. I cannot say that I am surprised by this at all; I've been hearing that about Matt since he starting talking.
In many ways, this makes him the complete opposite of his sister. She is quiet. She's hesitant to express herself with people she doesn't know. But slowly, she's warming up.
After our tour of Matt's classroom, a look through his desk and the various workbooks he's been using the last few weeks, and feeling quite proud of my little boy, we walked down the hallway to Cathy's kindergarten class.
Cathy has the same teacher that Matt had last year (Mrs. Bruening) and she's just wonderful with this age group. We were given a paper to help Cathy lead us on our tour of the classroom and she was a terrific tour guide. Mrs. Bruening shared with us that Cathy is starting to talk more in class, she's becoming a little easier to understand. And so I reminded her of the conversation we had the first day of school when I suggested that she was going to have to work much harder to get Cathy to talk in class than she ever had to with Matt.
I had the best conversation of the night with Mrs. Bruening's student intern - a Penn State student who will be with the kids through the entire school year (even though she'll graduate a month before she completes her student teaching experience). Miss Bamer told me that Cathy was her favorite student in the classroom, something I suggested in jest that she must have said to all the parents at Back to School Night. But she very sincerely told me that she hadn't. That she enjoys Cathy so much because with everything she has seen Cathy do over the first three weeks of school, there is pure joy on her face.
And that sums up my little girl so perfectly. She finds joy in everything, everything. What a lucky girl!
A week ago, Matt brought home a letter indicating that he was eligible for Title 1 reading. I was completely caught off guard by this; on the home front, Matt comes across as a strong reader and if there were signs that he was having a hard time, I either did not recognize them, or I dismissed them simply because he is a six-year old child and I did not understand the expectations that schools have for first graders.
When the letter first came home, I immediately reached out to the Title 1 reading teacher. In our conversations, I learned that Matt struggles with words he does not recognize. I know this about him, I've seen him come to difficult words in books that we've read together and complain that 'it's too hard'. So I help him sound it out letter by letter, ultimately giving the answer rather than letting him work through it on his own. Now I know that I am doing him no favors... and in just a week of 'Reading Club' I already see him working through those unknown words.
At Back to School Night, we had a chance to meet the Title 1 reading teacher and she's a lovely woman. Many, many years of experience. And she clearly loves what she does.
I spoke with Matt's first grade teacher. She tells me that both she and Mrs. Lago (the reading teacher) believe Matt likely just needs a little boost to start the year and that he's unlikely to spend too much time in 'Reading Club'. She also tells me that he talks. A lot. He's a very social kid. I cannot say that I am surprised by this at all; I've been hearing that about Matt since he starting talking.
In many ways, this makes him the complete opposite of his sister. She is quiet. She's hesitant to express herself with people she doesn't know. But slowly, she's warming up.
After our tour of Matt's classroom, a look through his desk and the various workbooks he's been using the last few weeks, and feeling quite proud of my little boy, we walked down the hallway to Cathy's kindergarten class.
Cathy has the same teacher that Matt had last year (Mrs. Bruening) and she's just wonderful with this age group. We were given a paper to help Cathy lead us on our tour of the classroom and she was a terrific tour guide. Mrs. Bruening shared with us that Cathy is starting to talk more in class, she's becoming a little easier to understand. And so I reminded her of the conversation we had the first day of school when I suggested that she was going to have to work much harder to get Cathy to talk in class than she ever had to with Matt.
I had the best conversation of the night with Mrs. Bruening's student intern - a Penn State student who will be with the kids through the entire school year (even though she'll graduate a month before she completes her student teaching experience). Miss Bamer told me that Cathy was her favorite student in the classroom, something I suggested in jest that she must have said to all the parents at Back to School Night. But she very sincerely told me that she hadn't. That she enjoys Cathy so much because with everything she has seen Cathy do over the first three weeks of school, there is pure joy on her face.
And that sums up my little girl so perfectly. She finds joy in everything, everything. What a lucky girl!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
"It's your fault"
Matt came home with an extra sheet of math homework on Monday, the result of an 'educational trip' that kept the kids out of school last Friday. Even though he was anxious to go outside and play with a new friend who is moving into the house across the street, Matt needed to complete both sheets before he could leave the house. Begrudgingly, he finished his assignments and was gone.
Flash forward to the bus stop Tuesday morning. This is where I learned it was all my fault he had TWO sheets of homework instead of just one like the rest of his friends... if only I wouldn't have taken him to the Phillies game Thursday night, this never would have happened to him.
No "thanks, Mom" for one last chance to head out to the ballpark this season, no "I had a great time" exploring the Lancaster Science Factory on Friday afternoon. Just "It's your fault I had more homework".
It didn't take long for my more grateful son to return, but that one moment at the bus stop will go a long way toward making me feel much less guilty if the Phillies make it to the World Series and I leave him (and his sister) at Grammy's house while I head down to the game.
Just thinking about it reminds me of similar experience I had growing up. My uncle was the penalty time keeper for the Flyers for many years. He shared season tickets with a colleague - fantastic seats, front row near the blue line. A few times a year, he'd share the tickets with my mom and she'd alternate between taking my brother and me. I think I was 12 the first time I went to a game and it began a love affair I had with the team through the 80s.
In 1987, the Flyers were playing the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals; my aunt called, wondering if Bob and I would be interested in attending Game 6 - a game the Flyers won (though they went on to lose the series two nights later in Edmonton). I can't recall a thing about how Bob and I had been behaving, but my mom would later tell me that we were so awful that instead of letting us go, she and my aunt used the tickets instead. She didn't tell us she was going; it was years later before we learned about it.
If the Phillies do make it to the World Series and if I do actually get tickets (two big ifs given how the team has been playing since clinching the NL East over the weekend), I seriously won't take the kids, though it will have nothing to do with the extra homework Matt might come home with.
But as a consolation prize, I'll be happy to stand on Broad Street with them a second time to celebrate a championship.
Flash forward to the bus stop Tuesday morning. This is where I learned it was all my fault he had TWO sheets of homework instead of just one like the rest of his friends... if only I wouldn't have taken him to the Phillies game Thursday night, this never would have happened to him.
No "thanks, Mom" for one last chance to head out to the ballpark this season, no "I had a great time" exploring the Lancaster Science Factory on Friday afternoon. Just "It's your fault I had more homework".
It didn't take long for my more grateful son to return, but that one moment at the bus stop will go a long way toward making me feel much less guilty if the Phillies make it to the World Series and I leave him (and his sister) at Grammy's house while I head down to the game.
Just thinking about it reminds me of similar experience I had growing up. My uncle was the penalty time keeper for the Flyers for many years. He shared season tickets with a colleague - fantastic seats, front row near the blue line. A few times a year, he'd share the tickets with my mom and she'd alternate between taking my brother and me. I think I was 12 the first time I went to a game and it began a love affair I had with the team through the 80s.
In 1987, the Flyers were playing the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals; my aunt called, wondering if Bob and I would be interested in attending Game 6 - a game the Flyers won (though they went on to lose the series two nights later in Edmonton). I can't recall a thing about how Bob and I had been behaving, but my mom would later tell me that we were so awful that instead of letting us go, she and my aunt used the tickets instead. She didn't tell us she was going; it was years later before we learned about it.
If the Phillies do make it to the World Series and if I do actually get tickets (two big ifs given how the team has been playing since clinching the NL East over the weekend), I seriously won't take the kids, though it will have nothing to do with the extra homework Matt might come home with.
But as a consolation prize, I'll be happy to stand on Broad Street with them a second time to celebrate a championship.
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| A city celebrates - October 31, 2008 |
Saturday, September 17, 2011
"I'm bored"
It's amazing to me how many times I have heard the kids use that expression over the last few weeks and I am mostly dumbfounded each time they say it. They're active kids and our family is constantly on the go. Personally, I feel overscheduled and can only dream of using these words myself.
Today, we walked out of Delgrosso's Amusement Park having just spent the better part of four hours on the rides. We hadn't even reached the car yet when Cathy said it.
And so I was left to wonder... is this somehow my fault?
If you've followed One Crazy Summer, you know that we were constantly on the go. While we had a great time and looked forward to our adventures together, I suspect that the kids would have been just as happy spending lazy days at the pool or at our local parks. I spent thousands of hours at the community pool in my hometown growing up; it was more than enough. But knowing that this past summer was likely a once in a lifetime opportunity, I wanted to take full advantage of it. I wanted the time we spent together to be more memorable than just trips to the pool.
I am reminded constantly that life is short and my time with them is a gift. If the Summer of Fun is to blame for their 'boredom' now, so be it. I wouldn't change one minute of it.
But on the other hand, maybe technology is to blame? Each of the kids has an old (and slow), but certainly useable, laptop. It's mostly used to play educational games and to access the school district's supplemental math site, IXL Math. We have a Wii which both kids play masterfully; they probably watch too much TV. And I am certainly quick to pass them an iPhone or iPod (where they can find their beloved Angry Birds) to keep them quiet when we're out to eat.
But, I like to think that I am providing a good balance for the kids. They're both playing soccer this fall. They ride their bikes and catch bugs outside with their friends. They enjoy hitting balls in the backyard. They each participated in their first youth cross country meets this fall. They've rediscovered their Geotrax trains (some of the best money I've ever spent) along with some other long-neglected toys in their toy boxes and bins.
So, what do I do with their constant claims of boredom? While the weather is still nice, I'll continue to push them outside as much as possible. I know once they get out there, they'll be fine. And they can easily play for hours. I can point them in the direction of their overflowing toy boxes and I can remind them what a great thing their imagination can be. They like to build forts, pretend they are traveling (which is great until they head to their rooms and actually pack things into their suitcases), and serve food from their play kitchen. We've got all sorts of games (and we actually spend a good amount of time playing them): Uno, Monopoly, Zingo are favorites. There are hundreds of books in the house and it's always a good time to practice reading.
In the end, I think it's all about perception... and the fact that as a society we tend to be overstimulated all the time. You can't walk down the street any more without passing all sorts of people on their phones, texting, checking their Facebook pages. Kids aren't much different. Many are overscheduled, constantly on the go from the minute they get up until the minute they go to bed. I try not to do that. I know that is going to get harder over the next few years as we allow the kids to try different sports and activities and decide for themselves where their interests lie. But for now, I want them to be kids.
Thinking back to my own childhood, I am pretty sure boredom fits in there sometimes. Instead of immediately reaching for the iPhone so Matt or Cathy can play yet another game of Angry Birds, I think I will just let them ride it out next time... figure out what to do on their own (heaven knows there's more than enough to choose from around here).
Maybe then, I'll finally stop hearing "I'm bored". I certainly hope so... I've grown bored with their complaints.
Today, we walked out of Delgrosso's Amusement Park having just spent the better part of four hours on the rides. We hadn't even reached the car yet when Cathy said it.
And so I was left to wonder... is this somehow my fault?
If you've followed One Crazy Summer, you know that we were constantly on the go. While we had a great time and looked forward to our adventures together, I suspect that the kids would have been just as happy spending lazy days at the pool or at our local parks. I spent thousands of hours at the community pool in my hometown growing up; it was more than enough. But knowing that this past summer was likely a once in a lifetime opportunity, I wanted to take full advantage of it. I wanted the time we spent together to be more memorable than just trips to the pool.
I am reminded constantly that life is short and my time with them is a gift. If the Summer of Fun is to blame for their 'boredom' now, so be it. I wouldn't change one minute of it.
But on the other hand, maybe technology is to blame? Each of the kids has an old (and slow), but certainly useable, laptop. It's mostly used to play educational games and to access the school district's supplemental math site, IXL Math. We have a Wii which both kids play masterfully; they probably watch too much TV. And I am certainly quick to pass them an iPhone or iPod (where they can find their beloved Angry Birds) to keep them quiet when we're out to eat.
But, I like to think that I am providing a good balance for the kids. They're both playing soccer this fall. They ride their bikes and catch bugs outside with their friends. They enjoy hitting balls in the backyard. They each participated in their first youth cross country meets this fall. They've rediscovered their Geotrax trains (some of the best money I've ever spent) along with some other long-neglected toys in their toy boxes and bins.
So, what do I do with their constant claims of boredom? While the weather is still nice, I'll continue to push them outside as much as possible. I know once they get out there, they'll be fine. And they can easily play for hours. I can point them in the direction of their overflowing toy boxes and I can remind them what a great thing their imagination can be. They like to build forts, pretend they are traveling (which is great until they head to their rooms and actually pack things into their suitcases), and serve food from their play kitchen. We've got all sorts of games (and we actually spend a good amount of time playing them): Uno, Monopoly, Zingo are favorites. There are hundreds of books in the house and it's always a good time to practice reading.
In the end, I think it's all about perception... and the fact that as a society we tend to be overstimulated all the time. You can't walk down the street any more without passing all sorts of people on their phones, texting, checking their Facebook pages. Kids aren't much different. Many are overscheduled, constantly on the go from the minute they get up until the minute they go to bed. I try not to do that. I know that is going to get harder over the next few years as we allow the kids to try different sports and activities and decide for themselves where their interests lie. But for now, I want them to be kids.
Thinking back to my own childhood, I am pretty sure boredom fits in there sometimes. Instead of immediately reaching for the iPhone so Matt or Cathy can play yet another game of Angry Birds, I think I will just let them ride it out next time... figure out what to do on their own (heaven knows there's more than enough to choose from around here).
Maybe then, I'll finally stop hearing "I'm bored". I certainly hope so... I've grown bored with their complaints.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The School Nurse Calls
I got a call this morning from the school nurse. While "There's nothing wrong with either of your children..." is always a good way to start the call, when that's followed by "but", you hold your breath, swallow the lump in your throat, and wait for her to finish.
"...but I just got Catherine's medical form here in the office and I see that she has a history of seizures."
Although Cathy's history is never far from my mind, I am never certain how much of it I need to share. She's been off her anticonvulsant for nearly two years now; the risk of a break-through seizure is minimal. But, I included it in her health history anyway. I wrote instructions detailing what needed to be done in the very unlikely event that she should have a seizure during the school day and I emailed Cathy's kindergarten teacher to make her aware of the situation.
The nurse and I talked about the type of seizures Cathy had, the duration, the treatment, when they began, when she had her last one. Without hesitation, I told her September 26, 2006. Reflecting back, it's sometimes hard to believe that it's been almost five years since I last watched my little girl
have one. While at the time it felt like the end of the world, it wasn't.
I've been following a blog by Mary Tyler Mom (not her real name). Because September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Mary Tyler Mom has posted daily (each post covers one month in time), reliving the 31 months her daughter, Donna, was treated for papillary meningioma, an aggressive brain tumor. In her very first post, she shares that Donna's story does not end with happily ever after. And yet I am captivated by the story, by a family's struggle with something so deeply personal and heartbreaking, by the extraordinary courage with which they face and publicly share it.
Every time I finish another chapter of Donna's story, I am reminded how fortunate we really are. Our story ends well, every day. Cathy gets on the school bus every morning and comes home every afternoon. She's excited to be learning the Pledge of Allegiance. She enjoys recess, P.E., and lunch. She's learning sign language. But most importantly, every night, I can hold her in my arms. I feel blessed.
Were her seizures scary? Of course. Did we worry when testing began that the doctors would find something unimaginable? Absolutely. But I can look back on it now with a perspective I didn't have five years ago.
And, stories like Donna's remind me that every day is a gift. Thanks, Mary Tyler Mom, for sharing.
"...but I just got Catherine's medical form here in the office and I see that she has a history of seizures."
Although Cathy's history is never far from my mind, I am never certain how much of it I need to share. She's been off her anticonvulsant for nearly two years now; the risk of a break-through seizure is minimal. But, I included it in her health history anyway. I wrote instructions detailing what needed to be done in the very unlikely event that she should have a seizure during the school day and I emailed Cathy's kindergarten teacher to make her aware of the situation.
The nurse and I talked about the type of seizures Cathy had, the duration, the treatment, when they began, when she had her last one. Without hesitation, I told her September 26, 2006. Reflecting back, it's sometimes hard to believe that it's been almost five years since I last watched my little girl
have one. While at the time it felt like the end of the world, it wasn't.
I've been following a blog by Mary Tyler Mom (not her real name). Because September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Mary Tyler Mom has posted daily (each post covers one month in time), reliving the 31 months her daughter, Donna, was treated for papillary meningioma, an aggressive brain tumor. In her very first post, she shares that Donna's story does not end with happily ever after. And yet I am captivated by the story, by a family's struggle with something so deeply personal and heartbreaking, by the extraordinary courage with which they face and publicly share it.
Every time I finish another chapter of Donna's story, I am reminded how fortunate we really are. Our story ends well, every day. Cathy gets on the school bus every morning and comes home every afternoon. She's excited to be learning the Pledge of Allegiance. She enjoys recess, P.E., and lunch. She's learning sign language. But most importantly, every night, I can hold her in my arms. I feel blessed.
Were her seizures scary? Of course. Did we worry when testing began that the doctors would find something unimaginable? Absolutely. But I can look back on it now with a perspective I didn't have five years ago.
And, stories like Donna's remind me that every day is a gift. Thanks, Mary Tyler Mom, for sharing.
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