Am I any good at this?

Sometimes I wish my kids had been raised on a farm.  Manual labor and working out of doors to promote health - check.  Feeling like you contribute to the welfare of others (even if they are chickens) - check.  The knowledge and confidence to fix broken stuff - check.  Not time, literally, to worry about the un-necessary - check.  Farms make for steady, capable, confident people.


But I don't.


It's hard to say if Grant is having trouble, or if I am.  He has had some negative reports this last week.  Abbie still hasn't recovered her lunchbox, and doesn't seem to think she was given a progress report.  Grant, however, did receive one. Having worked in the school, I can pretty much guarantee that both kids were given progress reports on the same day.


Grant doesn't know how to talk to people. He only has one gear:  PRESENTATION.  He will come up to you and tell you how to do stuff, or tell you how other people do stuff, or how he does stuff, or, most often, the characteristics and capabilities of his imaginary creations or toys....but he doesn't seem to understand how to listen to other people.  I have spoken to him about it.  I even thought I put it in a way that he would understand:


"Grant, I need to you be a good observer.  Watch the kids in your class, and see how they talk to each other, and their body language when they are talking."  I can't remember what else I told him, because it was two weeks ago.  But I made it sound like an experiment and an adventure.  Both appealing to little Grants.


All I know is it wasn't a success.  I find myself daydreaming about finding teachers to help him with conversation, since it would seem that he won't recognize it coming from me.


Anyway, I am feeling down.


I've never been asked to come in for the spring parent-teacher conference.  Grants teacher has asked me to come in this time, and the Discovery teacher plans to attend.  Starting to feel like the board meeting they sprang on me last time.


Also for the first time, I am leaving the kids at home with Josh during the conference.  I can't decide whether or not to really, really speak my mind (now an option with no kids listening), or do my usual considerate helpful routine.


First version (old way):  Yes.  Yes, I understand.  We've been working on that at home.  Of course I know you have other students.  Yes.  I can see how that would be distracting.  Of course I'll look into it.  Thank you so much for all  you do.


Second version (untried):  Look, Lady.  I asked for emails and didn't get them.  He brings the notebook home like you told him to, but you don't write positive things like you claimed you would, to balance the negative.  I've been in your classroom more than once, and have noticed no particular interest on your part in any of your students, and have seen no great jumps in the knowledge of my son.  Potentially, it is not Grant's mother who is lacking.  Seeing as how you are with him all day long and I am not, let me ask you....what are YOU doing about the problem.  Allow me to give YOU a list of things you can do to improve.....yourself.  So sorry that my kid is too smart for you.  Don't worry.  Thanks to your extremely disappointing teaching/attitude/perspective/effectiveness, my house is for sale. 




Okay.  We all know I would never say that.  I'm already feeling guilty for making Grant's teacher cry.  Which I haven't.


And the Discovery teacher will be there, too, so I won't have time for self indulgent anger.  I have two people's worth of complaints to hear.


...about my little boy.


*weep*

At least it's the weekend.

Still trying to get into new routines.  Still having some emotional leakage.  I told Grant that his emotions are leaking out like Gamma rays and that they might effect people.  He was entertained, but still isn't any better at not giving in to them.


Abbie left her lunchbox at Discovery the other day. She also came home with both shoelaces untied and trailing behind her.


Great.  Guy at new work thinks I'm an inspiration and full of intelligent and astute philosophy, and I can't get my kid to tie her shoes. 


Not thinking the word "failure"...not thinking the word "failure"....

Coping with New Schedule

Hello, All! 


That is fun to say, even if "all" is 2 people.  Or less.


We have new schedules in the afternoon, here, because of my new and fancy job.  It comes with a new and slightly less fancy commute.  Also new and fancy is that the kids will stay after school for the Latchkey program.  Still deciding how I feel about that.


Anyone want to buy my house?


Had a cranky and frustrating dinnertime tonight.  At one point I told Grant that he needed to start over and that I would count to 5 to give him a second, and then when I got to 5, we would try again.  His interpretation:  While Mom is slowly counting to 5, I should whine, cry, and bang my silverware on the table in a self indulgent release of negative emotions.  I stopped at three and mildly pointed out that this was not the case.  He accepted that pretty well, but we decided to do without the counting.  Just in case.


The good news:  Abbie made cupcakes almost un-aided today, and me and Grant and Abbie decorated them.  Much fun.  We had them for dessert tonight, even though dinner took a very VERY long time.


I need to cook more beef.  Apparently, my children have no idea how to use knives.  It was appalling.


Grant also had a couple of bad days at school.  We are still working on it.  The weather has been to cold for running, but I am hoping that the re-addition of that will be a huge help.


I hope the bad weather we are promised for tomorrow doesn't actually arrive.  I want to learn to adjust to the new schedule.  For that, the new schedule must happen.  *sigh*  It's hard on us all.


I love my new job, but right now I am ridiculously tired.  Off to bed I go.

Nope.

Okay.  Last week was a rough week.  I....don't think it should count.  :P


And this week definitely doesn't count, because we had two snow days in a row.  Which is a shame, because we have had no problems yet this week.  As far as I know, school will be in session tomorrow, and we are almost certain to have them, then.  Especially since tomorrow is the first day of my new job. 


****!  (That was the phone ringing.)


Oh.  Nevermind.  No school tomorrow, too.  Josh will be staying home with the kids.


This week most definitely does not count.