8:59 a.m. - 2006-01-25
Hump day
Considering all the detours, yesterday was a relatively productive day. I got several things done at work, pitched a good story about a conference we are doing, attended a board (really bored) meeting, came home, made ziti with home-made sauce and small meat balls, and crusty garlic bread from the leftover bread we got on Monday; and had a cub scout meeting. One of the boys has not come to the last two meetings. I wonder if he is going to drop out. The other boy, whose mother is my co-den-leader- is just a behavior beast. He says he is bored all the time, he says the projects are stupid. On the one hand, I don't take any grief from him. On the other hand, his mother is there and not disciplining him. So do I assume his behavior is acceptable to her?
Andy is struggling with multiplication tables. We are learning all the state capitals, but the times tables has him flummoxed. I think we'll get back to repetition.
We had a little sit-down last night. I told him that I shouldn't have to be asking him to feed his fish and take out the paper recycling (his two main chores.) I told him that those things are his responsibility, and that he doesn't have to ask us to make him meals or get him clean clothes. Those are our responsibilities. I'm not sure if that will sink in for him.
I refrained from the "when I was your age" thing. But I realized that when I was his age, I was cooking dinner and making lunches for a family of six every night, and we RARELY ate out or got take out. You didn't do that in the 60s and 70s.
So I am trying to navigate that trail for Andy between feeling responsible for everything, and feeling competent. I remember being 9 years old and thinking that I knew everything I needed to know except how to make a pot of coffee, and how to work the washing machine. (And then laundry also became my responsibility.)
But I am also navigating the trail between teaching Andy things that I think he needs to know to feel confident and thinking that it is just easier to do it myself. Is that a male thing? Sometimes it is just easier to go and get the cans out of the pantry or the refrigerator than explaining to Spouse or Andy where it is or what it looks like. I saw a great cartoon that explains the phenomenon of sudden spousal refrigerator blindness..."Honey? Where is the mustard?"
Surprisingly, it is sunny and bright out. We were expecting a slushy, icy commute this morning.
Tonight we are babysitting for a few hours for the neighbor.
Last night's teevee viewing: Scrubs. Great episode that mirrors the wizard of oz.
Nothing else to report.
a hui hou marama
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