Today's agenda: clear the sticky notes off my writing table and my laptop lid, which means: a compilation of Recent Random Kid Comments (And on a tangentially-related topic: what in the world did people do before post-its? Scribble on their walls? Jot down notes on little bits of paper and place them under whatever was handy, praying they didn't blow away? Who could've guessed that simple, clingy notepaper would revolutionize our lives...)
Anyway, I'll start with Riley. He came home one day after school and approached me very seriously with his "I have something to discuss" face. He led with, "Mom, do you think this was a good choice," at which point my Maternal Alarm went into overdrive, leaping from one nightmare scenario to the next: "No! I don't care if your friends said it would taste good, don't try it! Even if everyone else was jumping off, don't you do it! It doesn't matter if they promised you wouldn't get caught, walk away!" Fortunately, that was all inside my head, as he calmly continued, "I was invited by my student teacher to do fractions at lunchtime." I think I started breathing again at this point, as I assured him that yes, indeed, Lunchtime Fractions sounds like an awesome, really cool thing to do. Of course, part of me has to wonder, does Fractions Club give you 2nd grade street cred, or are they the unfortunate kids who get their heads stuffed into toilets after recess? Hopefully my little Math Nerd will have a positive experience with his other Common Denominators (hahahaha--a math joke! I crack myself up...)
Of course, there is a follow-up to this story, also known as the "Math Can Come Back to Bite You in the Butt" Corollary...the other night I had made a potato-and-green-bean dish for dinner, from which Riley proceeded to pick out an eat each and every one of the beans, leaving a pile of potatoes (blatant Starch Discrimination, I tell you). When asked why he had done this, he responded that he absolutely could NOT eat the potatoes...since they were not congruent...or symmetrical. Oh. Good. Grief. (I was unable to argue with this, as he was 100% correct, both in the evaluation of the spuds, and in the application of the math terminology. Also, I believe he achieved his ultimate objective: making his brother snarf his drink while nearly falling off his chair with hysterical laughter. Yes, this is what constitutes a successful Family Dinner at our house.)
And speaking of Derek, he's walking that fine line between Childhood and Growing Up, as usual. He recently unveiled his newest Life Plan, which involves: continuing to play soccer, making his High School team, getting an Athletic Scholarship to a competitive Division I College or University, being selected for Team USA and participating in the Olympics, then ultimately playing professionally for a European Squad. Oh, and he's going to be in a popular, successful band also. You know, in his free time. I would like to assume that one of his unstated--but critically important--goals would be to take care of his Mom and Dad so that they could retire early and live a Life of Leisure and Recreation (following him around Europe to catch his soccer matches and concerts). However, we may have to work on that, since the last time the subject came up during a Family Discussion, he said he'd like to go to New Mexico State University. Why? "Because it sounds cool, and it's far away from you people!" Now, he DID deliver this line with a huge grin and a voice full of laughter; considering that we have a few more years of brainwashing ahead of us, I think we'll be able to insinuate ourselves into the Master Plan without too much trouble!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment