Come on people...use your brains!

So, I read a post on facebook today that was talking about another post that I saw on facebook...here are my thoughts:

Post #1: Stop doing things for your children that they can do for themselves.
Post #2: Please keep doing things for your children that they can do for themselves.

The first post is pretty self explanatory- stop doing things for your kids that they can do...don't wake them up in the morning.  Stop making them gourmet breakfasts.  Stop doing their chores.

The second post was talking about how she brushes and braids her daughters hair every night.  How it's a ritual and how they have girl talk and say prayers...and all that stuff.  She said I read the article saying to not do stuff for your kids...but I can't help it.  I love that time.  And the writers grandma told her to keep doing it.

It's these type of articles that annoy me!  Now, I don't have kids yet...so I know that I'm judging ahead of my time.  And I'm not even really judging.  I just know how I grew up, and I see how my sister raises her kids.

#1. I think kids can do a lot for themselves.  No on needs to be waking up a middle school in the morning.  I was getting up on my own when I was in first and second grade.

#2.  I was also making myself breakfast!  Toast is easy, cereal is easy, waffles are easy...come on people!

I did not take the article to mean that every 10 year old should be self-sufficient!  Or that you can't have any bonding time with your child.  I loved nothing more than to have my mom french braid my hair.  But I can tell you what...we had to plan that out before that moment.  My mom would say...I'm not doing it right now,  you should have asked last night.  I mean, with 4 girls...can you even imagine?  Ha ha ha!

So, now onto the second post...I feel like this woman totally missed what the first post was about.  It was talking about some bonding time that you have with your daughter.  My dad got up with us every morning for "Breakfast Club".  He did not make us breakfast, but he did eat breakfast with us in the morning.  That was a wonderful bonding moment for us.  But he did not wake us up, or make breakfast for us.

Come on parents, you have to let your kids be somewhat independent!  They need that!  There are some parents at school who talk about waking up their high schooler?!?!  I'm sorry what???  It's because they have learned that you will wake them up!  Sheesh!  As Will Smith just said in an interview..."let them fail".  It's okay!  They will recover!

Obviously, if your kid has a sleeping problem- then that is something different.  But let's be real...how likely is that for so many parents?  My husband didn't know how to do laundry until he moved in with a friend at age 24!!!  I love my mother-in-law, but she did him a disservice!  She did so much for her children, that it actually hurt their ability to grow!

So, I agree with post #1, don't do things for your children that they can do for themselves...but don't eliminate bonding time with them either!  Be smart!

I love books!

I love to ready!  Mostly fiction...but every now and then I will enjoy what I call a "real" book.  Ha ha ha.  But I go through book reading phases.  I will read a lot of books in a row, or a series of books...and I love it!  Then I feel a bit lost when I'm done.  Or tired of reading so much.  Over winter break I checked out 5 books from the Library.  I had a busy break...and was a bit drained from the the previous months...and only read one book.  And it wasn't the best book.  So, I didn't read anymore.

Well, yesterday, I picked up another book.  And it's this great Sci-fi book with magic and witches...and I'm hooked!  I really do love reading!  It's just a great escape from every day life!  I will say though...when you do find a good book, doing anything besides reading that book tends to make one upset.  Ha ha ha!

So, here I am at work, reading and I'm asked to do something else...and I don't want to do that!  I just want to have a great time reading!  Ha ha ha!

#firstworldproblems

Deep thoughts by Amy Alderman

12 days!  

Thank goodness fun, warm sun, and relaxation are happening in 12 days!  I can make it through the next 12 days!  Make it thought 14 hour work days and rehearsal on the weekends!  I can make it through rehearsals with kids who don't know how to practice outside of rehearsals and kids who just want to see their friends!  I can make it through not seeing my husband or my puppy until 9:30 at night when I'm too tired to do anything but crash!  I can do this!

Because at the end of these 12 crazy days...I will be in Florida with my family!  And the thing about these next 12 days is that there are kids who will remember this as their first show, their first lead, their first time on stage, their first time in the dance chorus, their favorite show, or the weirdest show, or the most frustrating show...who knows how they will remember these shows.  But it will be in their memory and their friends memories, and their parents memories for as long as they can remember things.

I had a girl come up to me yesterday.  After a full day of work, a tense rehearsal at the middle school, and working more than my energy was wanting to allow at the second rehearsal- she came up and said that she has never had directors who believed in her like we did.  Its her first time in the dance chorus!  Is she the best dancer in the world?  No...I would not even consider her a dance.  But in this show, she is the best dancer we have and one of the hardest working kids that I have worked with!  So, that made my heart happy!  To hear the excitement in her voice and to know that even though this show is causing my life some crazy stress...for her it's amazing!  And I love that!  I mean- isn't that the real reason I do shows with middle school kids?  To put a positive spin/or a change in their lives?  And to hang out with some of my favorite adults- ha!  But it was so wonderful to hear that from her!  And if that is all I get out the show...then that is perfect!  It's not going to be a perfect show...we are kind of hoping for a cute show at this point...but for me- the show was worth it because a few kids were made to feel amazing about themselves during the process!  And that is what every kid needs!  What ever kid deserves!  And that is what I should strive to do.  To make them feel amazing!  

That being said...my job is not to make kids feel amazing for no reason.  They have to work hard...they have to earn it!  They have to want to be good more than anything!  And when they put in the work, they will get the reward!  

Okay- so week one of my two weeks of hell is almost over!  I can totally finish strong!

On a completely different topic- I am learning as an adult that there is no point in being sad (for longer than a moment) about certain things.  Things will happen when they are supposed to happen.  In their own time, in their own way.  It's not up to me and the more I try to control things...the more I get hurt in the process.  So, for the last month or so...I have been trying to let go of the reigns and go with the flow.  If I have time to do the laundry it will get done.  If I don't...that is okay as well.  Sometimes I forget to ask for help...and sometimes I remember.  It's all good.  I will say, overall the last month has been less stressful for me.  I was not totally stress-free in life because anyone that works 40-60 hours a week is going to be stressed...but I'm really trying to not freak out over the little things.  Because tomorrow is a new day, next week is undecided, the month after that...anything can happen!  The future is still unknown and it's all very exciting!  Don't get bogged down by today's stress when tomorrow could be amazing!  

Wow- I'm feeling so deep today!  I must be tired!  Alright folks, back to work for me!