DAY 99
"I used to walk ten miles to school, barefoot, in the snow, uphill, both ways..."
Who hasn't heard this phrase at least once in their life? I thought of it today as I watched my children walk to school. They have such a cush life and they don't even know it! I drive them to school almost every day of the school year. It's finally warm enough for them to walk and it makes for a much easier morning. Whether I'm doing laundry or getting ready for work... it's always a little stressful having to stop everything and drive them over to the school. The pokiness (by both), the fighting, and the habitual forgetting of one thing or another makes it not such a pleasant experience and can definitely sour my mood.
I'm sure this phrase is more of a cliche than anything else, but it reminds me how times are so much more different today than they were even 20 years ago. Twenty years ago I can't imagine that a 9 year old would have to watch a video about puberty.
We didn't even get so much as a note warning us of the talk that Connor would receive today. So, when he left for school I was entirely clueless! From what he's told us they discussed his anatomy and changes that will occur to his body. He remembered terms like testicles, sperm, and wet dream. I don't know if it's because it caught me so off guard, but I'm really disturbed by it. He's only 9! Between this and Oprah's sex ed today talking to 14 year old students about what occurs in middle school... I'm speechless! It is an interesting time we live in. Any thoughts out there? Am I just ultra conservative and out of touch?
On another note... Camille had to buy her backpack from me today. Lucky for her I got it 75% off, so it only cost her $5.00. They both get a new one at the beginning of the school year, but Camille's has already died, literally. I had this other one for next year, so I decided to let her know I only buy her one a year, but she could buy this one from me if she really wanted one. She must have really wanted it. I was really torn about it! This might make me seem like a mean mom, but I feared that if I just gave her the new one it wouldn't be reinforcing the principle of responsibility.
Parenting is so hard and exhausting some days.