The last day of school finally came, and it really wasn't soon enough. Along with the usual end of year longing for a more relaxed schedule, warmer weather and family fun, I've also had enough of school budget concerns that eliminated eighth grade at our school and might possibly make Ella's kindergarten next year half day, every other day.
As glad as I am to leave all that behind I wasn't prepared to face our new challenge today - swim team. We talked Carter into joining the YMCA swim team this summer. It only goes through June and July, but they practice everyday for an hour. Today was the first day and he spent most of the time sitting in a chair crying by the side of the pool, insisting nothing was wrong but a stomachache. The rest of the day he periodically burst into tears and begged to quit swim team because he doesn't like it. To be fair I think it was an overwhelming experience. There were about twenty kids in his age group and most of them clearly had more experience swimming than Carter, but I told him over and over he was only there to do his best, get some exercise and practice swimming. He was not comforted in the least.
Later as I was putting the kids to bed tonight Maddy asked when we were going to have her birthday party. Her birthday was in April. I told her we weren't going to have a party this year and she burst into heartbroken tears. I have to admit this one was all my fault, because although Ryan had a birthday party most of the first ten years of his life I have had a hard time extending that tradition on to anyone else. In fact, I'd have to say as much as I used to enjoy birthday parties, they now make me about as excited as going to the dentist.
Anyway, after all this I felt an overwhelming urge to make brownies, which I'm pretty sure would qualify as emotional eating. Which makes me wonder how someone so easily overcome by emotional issues herself can possibly be in charge of helping little people figure out their own emotional issues. It really doesn't seem fair to my children that they have me to turn to because I certainly don't have any answers. Sheesh. This parenting thing seems like a pretty messed up system to me right now.
p.s. I didn't have all the ingredients to finish my brownies so I had to settle for licking half made batter.
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2 comments:
oh.. don't even get me started on school issues. Argh.
I'm with you on b day parties. Wish I had thought of having one every other year back when I could have done it without all the complaining.
And I think teaching your kids to eat brownies, or batter when emotionally stressed is very important!
I remember having the nurse at the hospital tell me I would be taking my baby home in the morning and crying my eyes out. Who was I to raise a kid? Was I insane? I told her great and that my husband would pick us all up at 10 (her included), she thought I was joking.
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