Good flick for anyone who has or knows a non-neurotypical kid.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Monday, January 03, 2011
Drained Again
It's been a difficult few days leading up to the Teen's return to school today. Transitions just aren't his thing.
As a result, my physical and emotional energy has been directed toward him much more than usual lately - and this has benefited neither him nor me. Nor the rest of the family, for that matter. When his 20% of the family starts to eat up 90% of everyone's energy and patience, something is terribly wrong.
The fact of the matter is, if the child wants to self-destruct, if he wants to fail - he's going to do it.
No amount of effort on my part, or anyone else's, is going to make him care more about his grades, his sports, his college prospects, or his future in general. He needs to either decide to care, or not. We're here for him if he wants our help, but us caring about it more than he does isn't doing any of us any good.
He needs some good study and practice habits, and we can offer him suggestions and guidance - and incentives - in this department.
But the saying is true. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
I'll be sure to share any good news, but for the time being, it is what it is.
As a result, my physical and emotional energy has been directed toward him much more than usual lately - and this has benefited neither him nor me. Nor the rest of the family, for that matter. When his 20% of the family starts to eat up 90% of everyone's energy and patience, something is terribly wrong.
The fact of the matter is, if the child wants to self-destruct, if he wants to fail - he's going to do it.
No amount of effort on my part, or anyone else's, is going to make him care more about his grades, his sports, his college prospects, or his future in general. He needs to either decide to care, or not. We're here for him if he wants our help, but us caring about it more than he does isn't doing any of us any good.
He needs some good study and practice habits, and we can offer him suggestions and guidance - and incentives - in this department.
But the saying is true. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
I'll be sure to share any good news, but for the time being, it is what it is.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Forward Momentum
We purchased a sectional sofa. And a Television Support Apparatus. With cabinets.
The whole thing took about an hour.
Walking around in the sofa store, I was having horrible flashbacks of the countless visits and even more countless hours of debating and deliberating and finally throwing our hands up and deciding to just keep our own dilapidated furniture. It just wasn't worth the headache - or the money - to agonize over the decision, pick something, and then hate it for the next 10 years.
But that was before we had... Janet.
Have I mentioned that I love Janet?
Janet walks into the sofa store, says what she wants, and people scramble to find it for her. She knows which "lines" will look best in our "space," she isn't afraid to put an eye-popping cheery red next to my lemongrass green walls, she knows exactly which fabric will hold up the best to boys and pets, and she's willing to do the running around to TJ Maxx and the other discount stores to shop for coordinating pillows and ottoman storage cubes.
We had the whole transaction, including the TV unit - which she and the guys are picking up and delivering for me tomorrow morning - quickly and painlessly over with in time for us to get on with the majority of our Sunday.
Janet rocks.
And our family room is just about finished.
Time to start talking about Phase II.
The whole thing took about an hour.
Walking around in the sofa store, I was having horrible flashbacks of the countless visits and even more countless hours of debating and deliberating and finally throwing our hands up and deciding to just keep our own dilapidated furniture. It just wasn't worth the headache - or the money - to agonize over the decision, pick something, and then hate it for the next 10 years.
But that was before we had... Janet.
Have I mentioned that I love Janet?
Janet walks into the sofa store, says what she wants, and people scramble to find it for her. She knows which "lines" will look best in our "space," she isn't afraid to put an eye-popping cheery red next to my lemongrass green walls, she knows exactly which fabric will hold up the best to boys and pets, and she's willing to do the running around to TJ Maxx and the other discount stores to shop for coordinating pillows and ottoman storage cubes.
We had the whole transaction, including the TV unit - which she and the guys are picking up and delivering for me tomorrow morning - quickly and painlessly over with in time for us to get on with the majority of our Sunday.
Janet rocks.
And our family room is just about finished.
Time to start talking about Phase II.
Saturday, January 01, 2011
2011 !
Oh - did I kind of drop the December blogging ball?
Guess so.
The fact that half my downstairs was torn apart and I couldn't find my laptop might have had something to do with it.
But I'm pleased to say that Phase I of our renovation is done - we have a family room - and I have my laptop (and a temporary desk) once again.
And it's latelatelate on New Year's and we're home from a party, waiting for the kids to finally fall asleep. What better time to write?
2010. What can I say? There were highs. There were lows. And since you truly can't have one without the other, isn't that what Life is all about?
So 2010 was Real Life. Hard core. The year I finally got in touch with my Inner Athlete and became a Martial Artist. Went to the next level with my spouse. Started to burn out on homeschooling. Stopped caring so much about what everyone thought and started to truly be Me for the first time since Middle School, when it didn't go over so well.
What will 2011 bring? Will I get my Yellow Belt? My Green Belt, even? Will Phase II of the renovation happen as effortlessly as Phase I? Will I find time to work on my ultra-cool novel? Will my children embrace my model of learning, or at least go to school to resist someone else's model for a change? Will I finally get to go backpacking? (I'm not getting any younger, you know...) Will Savageman and I educate and inspire engaged, pregnant and breastfeeding parents through our various activities - and guide and encourage young Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well? Will we attempt another family vacation?
We shall see.
In the meantime, it is very late and I think the kids are finally asleep. Time to crash too. Real Life resumes as of 8:30 or so in the morning when That Dog wakes everyone up wanting his breakfast, even though he jumped up and ate several cookies off the counter a little while ago when we weren't looking.
That's in 6 hours. Better get to bed.
Happy New Year, all 2 of my readers. Hope it's a great one!
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