Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Canadian style.

Day two of the first full week of summer vacation and I am wiped out! I knew it would be an adjustment, but I always forget the details of how it plays out. I am spoiled during the school year by being able to get everyone out the door and then jumping in the shower myself. Then I organize the day. Yesterday, while just trying to get in a quick shower, I lost track of the number of times I got interrupted, before, during and after my shower. I just remember being in the mode of getting ready to go for hours. One hand reaching for the keys, the other trying to apply mascara, and my mind sorting through hockey gear trying to make sure it all ended up in the bag. In-between I was settling disagreements. "He breathed on me!" "He looked at me!" Its a wonder I made it out the door.

Plus there are questions that I am wrestling with and don't have any easy answers for. Can a 9-year-old be at the rink by himself for almost 3 hour every day, without his parents? And is a 7-year-old mature enough to be at the park at the baseball field while I went over to watch practice on another part of the field?

And I often wonder, how many activities can a child do in a day? Is two sports ideal, but three overkill? And if three is overkill am I insane for signing up my kids for four? You know we send them off to school and we don't sit and wonder very often if the second grade teacher is suddenly going to require them to do fifth grade work. We trust they are offering age and grade appropriate education. But its not always that clear cut when it comes to parenting. At what age are they ready to ride their bikes by themselves to a friend's house 4 blocks away?

So we come together, us parents. And we quiz one another. We tell each other how we are doing things, and why. Or we lament our failings, the oversights, the things we didn't see coming and couldn't have prepared our kids for. Over the course of the last couple of days I've had numerous chats with other parents pondering these same things. But do we ever really know the correct answer?

As I quizzed Nolan this morning I learned one of those things I hadn't prepared him for. I kept asking him if he had everything he needed for hockey. Skates? Check. Two sticks? Check. Helmet and pads? Eye roll, yes.

"I even remembered the most important thing." Nolan said. I'm thinking to myself, okay if you have your skates and sticks that would be the most important thing wouldn't it? But... this was Nolan.

"I remembered my underwear!" "Your hockey underwear, Nolan? "No, my everyday underwear." "What," I said. "Do you make it a habit to play without your underwear?" " Well", he says, "I did forget during one game during the Pepsi cup two weeks ago." Ohhhhh, noooo.

"Nolan, were you naked under your gear?" He says to me blushing, "I was. But Sam's dad said it was okay. He said, oh you are skating "Canadian" style! And I have to chuckle as I ponder my son's love affair with all things Canadian. It made perfect sense to him. If they skate naked under their gear in Canada, than skating "Canadian" was okay with him. Now in reality, I'll bet Sam's dad said "commando", as I am certain that even in Canada they skate with underwear under their gear. But I couldn't have prepared for that one. Didn't see it coming. And really, Nolan handled it okay. He said he went in the shower area so he wasn't seen by anyone and just put his hockey underwear on and then his gear. He managed okay without me.

But I added one more thing to my checklist this morning. Just to be sure. "Check underwear."

13 comments:

  1. oh my cow, i did NOT see where that one was going!!! i may just have fallen in love with that stinker all over again.

    "going canadian..." that's freaking classic!!!!

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  2. I am feeling so frazzled too. The biggest issue for me is the CONSTANT arguing by these kids who now are together a whole bunch more often then previously.

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  3. What a hilarious story!!!!! So, terrific!!! And you tell it so extremely well that I feel I know your son!!!! Perfect post! I love it! Thanks for sharing your life and friendship with me!!! ~Janine XO

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  4. Gitz, I didn't know that was how it would end up either? Strange to say that, but man was I rambling :) I didn't even title the post, till later. Thinking of you today :)

    Robin, nope haven't missed updates on test results. I'll update about what part I do know soon :) Thanks for your encouragement! Love to you today!

    Bonnie, isn't it amazing how they have to test everyone's limits so much for that first week or so? I know it calms down, but sheesh, I'm ready any time now! Hang in there :) Hope you're teeth are feeling better!

    Janine, gosh, you are so sweet! Thank you for coming and commenting each day so thoughtfully and for your gift of friendship as well!

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  5. ROFL!!!!!

    I bet he DID say commando but I guarantee Nolan just changed that term to "Canadian" for our household! Oh Nolan, you just BUST me UP! LOL

    P.S. At least if he had gone to the emergency room he wouldn't have been in anything ratty and, isn't that all we can ask for, as mothers? :)

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  6. Robynn, Oh can you imagine the scene at an ER? You go to take the kids hockey gear off and what a sight you would get!

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  7. That was funny and yes in Canada we may still find a few kilts and we don't know what's underneath lol
    Don't dare check lol
    I still do the list check with my son and he still does the eye rolls.Those never change but once in a while I catch him and he says oh gosh good thing you reminded me. lol
    Then I feel like I did good lol
    So good Job Mom. You had a great day.:)

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  8. Vic, I had no idea their were kilt wearers in Canada! And at this late hour I was just reminded to get the gear out of the car and properly packed for tomorrow :)

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  9. Thank you, Vicky, for visiting my site. I came to yours....and Wow! ...Your page is beautiful, and your Canadian Commando son is a hoot! You ARE super Mom!
    I can relate to the mascara, but at least you put yours on BEFORE you get in the car (I miiiiiiiight be guilty of doing the driving/mascara maneuver.) You are a terrific writer....and as a teacher (retired), I can tell you that if you don't believe what the kids tell you about us when they get home, we won't believe what they tell us about parents when they get to school... :-)) Kids are wonderful!
    P.S. They do the eye-roll when they're grown. I think it's actually a secret "I love you Mom" thing.....that's my story...and I'm sticking to it. Thank you again for visiting my site.

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  10. Jackie, you are so welcome! I got off to a slow start with having readers myself, so I am only too happy to support someone new :) I think you will do great! You're in good company already if you know Janine!!

    Both my husband's parents were teachers and my brother and his wife are also former teachers, so you are in good company here :) I am sure you have many stories to share and will love hearing about your teaching escapades!! Thanks for stopping by :) Happy blogging!

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  11. Oh my I hope you survive!! Sounds like its hectic already! I used to always apply my makeup while driving - not recommnded mind you! And I love your sense of humor.

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  12. Hee, hee! What a cutie! Glad he remembered his undies this time! :)

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  13. Lilly, and you know I LOVE your sense of humor, so its a huge compliment to me if you find anything I say remotely funny.

    Jill, leave it to Nolan :) Thanks Jill!

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