Family Fun…

My family has had season tickets to the Spokane Shock (local arena football) for the past four years.  Recently, I was talking with a friend who was surprised that we took our kids with us to the games.  Four years ago, when Aiden was two, he often fell asleep at the games.  Connar had a hard time sitting through a game, he was bouncy and we took frequent walks around the arena concourse.  We kept taking them to the games with us and now Aiden knows the game and the team better than I do!  If I don’t understand one of the plays, Connar can easily explain what happened.  They are huge fans of the game!  (Can you see the autographs on their jersey’s?)

There’s another reason we take them to the games, and this gets at a deeper parenting belief.  I believe that the only way kids learn the behavior that is appropriate in different settings, is to experience those different settings.  We take our kids as many places as we can and they understand the difference between behavior at a play and behavior at a Shock game!  There have definitely been times we’ve left places and times we’ve wished we hadn’t brought the kids, but now we can go almost anywhere as a family and our kids are usually fantastic.  Investing the time to teach them has been well worth the effort.

I have one more reason we take them to the games, and everywhere else in town (we have lots of adventures)!  I want my kids to recognize the value of family and I want them to choose to spend time with their family as they get older.  I believe that you have to build in the quality family time when they are young, to carry into their teens.  Build the habit, so that as they get older and have more choices, they will be more likely to choose the Shock Game (or whatever Family Fun is offered).  In my mind, this is the same thing as a family dinner.  Spending time together, laughing together, and understanding each other is the way we are building our family.  The best thing about our Shock season tickets, is the number of people we attend with…grandparents and family friends make up our group of 18 and each game is Family Fun!

 

 

Since You Asked...

Several of my friends who don't regularly follow a blog have asked about leaving comments. If this question applies to you...here is your answer:

Each blog can be a bit different. For mine, once you have read the post, there is a link above my signature that says comments. Click on that link and a comment box will open up. Type your comment. I really love to receive comments...it lets me know people are reading!

The tricky part comes when you add your name to the comment. It's really not tricky. If you have a Google Account (or another account listed) click on that option. This leaves your name along with an email or webpage link. You can also choose Name / URL. Leave you name and if you don't have a website, leave the URL box blank. This way I will know who left the message.

I like to leave questions at the end of each post to spark conversation. What's the best thing about your Monday?

A Mom at Work...

I love a well-organized notebook.  I can't help it...all those tabs neatly arranged, fresh holes punched, easy access to information.  Notebooks are my favorite!

As an Instructional Coach, I am frequently given, or find, articles of interest to read.  It's also great to be able to pass along new research or ideas to teachers I work with.  Over the past year I have amassed a huge collection of articles that were sitting in file folders.  The problem was that I could never find what I was looking for.  Today was the day to get organized!  I spread all the articles out on a table and sorted them into like groups. As I was working I realized I had duplicates of a few articles.  I also decided to create two notebooks rather than one.  I used sticky notes to keep track of topics while I was working.  Once I had all my groups, I made sure everything was hole punched, wrote on my divider tables and put it all together.

The whole project only took about an hour and now I can easily access and share the information.  Of course I made cover inserts and binding labels so that I can find the notebook on my shelves later.  It was a great Friday morning project...it's so nice to leave the office orderly and ready-to-go for Monday morning. 

 These are the shelves in my office...I love a well-organized notebook almost as much as I love being surrounded by books.  It's a happy work corner!

Sporty Kids…

Our weather has been dreadful lately…really cold and windy.  I didn’t realize how much it was affecting my mood until yesterday…when it was sunny and beautiful!  Both my boys had soccer practice yesterday and I coach the U6 boys team.  We had such a great time out in the sun playing soccer.  My whole mood shifted.  The boys were goofy and playful, but at the same time focused on playing the game.   It was a great reminder to me that sometimes I take life way too seriously and I need to just drop everything and kick a ball around the park.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside with your kids?  What simple things remind you to relax and enjoy life?

He’s Growing Up…

My oldest son, Connar is 11 today.  Incidentally today is my birthday also…that’s another story.  The cliché is that they grow up so fast, and I wish that I could say that without it being a cliché.  Because it’s TRUE!  One minute you are exhaustedly walking the floor, trying to get them to sleep and the next minute they’re riding their bike to school alone.  One minute they’re turning to you for a band-aid and the next minute they’re taking care of themselves.  When school starts in the fall, Connar will be attending middle school.  I teach middle school…I don’t have to wonder what happens there, I know!

Connar got a snowboard for his birthday, and he got it a bit early so that he could enjoy a day with his new board before it hung on the wall for 6 months.  If you had asked me 11 years ago, I never would have guessed I would take this kind of picture of my baby.  But there were so many other things I never guessed…I never guessed what a kind heart he would have, I never guessed he would be so funny, I never guessed he would be such a great big brother, I never guessed how much fun it would be to watch him grow up…I never guessed how much it would hurt to watch him grow up. 

Many years ago I read an essay that I loved.  (Like many busy moms, I didn’t save it and I have always wished I had a copy…if you know the reference, please send it to me.)  The author talked about all the things you do for your children…feed them, clean them, bandage them, love them…and with the very same hand moms are expected to “wave a convincingly cheerful good-bye”.  I am proud of my sons  responsibility and independence.  I love that he makes good choices and has common sense.  I am thankful that he is trustworthy and kind.  And I love watching him grow up…I just wish he would slow down!

How do you handle watching your children grow up?  What are your “convincingly cheerful good-bye’s”?