Promises

Promises are not always easy to keep, no matter how good the intentions were at the time you made the promise. This is a hard lesson for children, especially when they connect breaking a promise to a person as breaking a promise to God. Recently, Kate learned in a religious lesson at school that breaking a promise to a person is like breaking a promise to God. At least that is how she understood the lesson. Around that time, she made a very unrealistic promise to a friend in her class. I'll call this friend Michelle for the sake of privacy.

I am unsure what lead up to the promise, but Kate said she would give Michelle $126.00 for the book fair this week at school.

She asks to speak with me privately the night before her class is to visit the book fair. She is literally wringing her hands and is so nervous, but she manages the courage to ask me if she can take $126.00 out of her savings. For an 8-year-old to ask for this amount of money with this amount of apprehension is somewhat mind-blowing for a parent. I cannot describe what was going through my mind. With tears forming in her eyes, more wringing of her hands, I manage to get out of her why she needs this money. With relief, I restrain from laughing because she is still just at the end of her world.

We talked about how such promises are over-promises and that parents need to be consulted for these type of promises. I explained that even if I let her have the money that Michelle's parents would never be happy that Michelle accepted that kind of money no matter how many jobs they were working to make end meet.

Now we have an understanding of over-promises and that God would look at her intentions rather than the "breaking a promise" on judgment day! Her concerns turn to Michelle teasing her, being mad at her and/or telling the teacher. Kate really can get worried over a teacher giving her a detention (3rd grade, remind you)! We go over and over plans on how to explain things to Michelle and how to inform the teacher. Kate wants me there while she talks with the teacher. All night, she complained of a stomach ache from the nervous butterflies. She couldn't sleep. She continued to pull me aside discuss the plan and other options.

We finally get to school, I walk to the class room with Kate. Michelle and Kate have known each other since Kindergarten. Michelle excitedly waves to Kate and me. Kate turns to me and says, "That's ok, Mom, you can go."!

Simple Ways You Can Start Enjoying Today | On Simplicity

Today, my 7-year old asked if I was anxious to grow up when I was her age. She said she will like being an adult to do as she pleases: come & go, make decisions, etc. No, she wasn't upset about anything in particular; just a casual conversation. How ironic that later as I decompress from being an adult, late in the evening, I run across: Simple Ways You Can Start Enjoying Today On Simplicity: "Remember how badly you wanted to be an adult so that you could live life by your own rules? Enjoy the fact that, for the most part, you get to make your own decisions today."

Is adulthood really that different than childhood? Instead of school, it's work. If I do not go to work, it's a lack of a paycheck instead of truancy. Oh, I don't get an allowance for my household chores anymore. I suppose that if I were a child at this moment I would be asleep for school, instead of choosing to stay up late, blogging this, while laughing at a stupid joke on David Letterman. Adults have choices and make choices for children in the hope of developing their good habits. Time for me to do my parents proud and go to sleep for work.

Zoo Adventure - Wildlights 2008

In the spirit of starting a new tradition for Kate and I, we went to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium this evening. It was extremely cold; single digits and windy. We were surprised to see the active cougars and wolves. They were playing and enjoying the cold weather.

The lights were beautiful but I didn’t take as many pictures of them because I was just too cold to stop long enough. We kept our heads buried as we hurried off to the nearest building to get warm again. I took a lot of pictures, with my new digital camera, in the reptile house. The reptile house ended badly because a hurt turtle was being attacked by other turtles. Needless to say that we did alert zookeepers and I will not be posting that video that I inadvertently recorded. It was a bit upsetting to Kate and a few other children.

In the Manatee exhibit, Kate demonstrated her steel trap mind and informed me how creatures living underwater were really drinking their own urine. There were a few giggles around me. The nearest Manatee kindly demonstrated Kate’s point not but a few seconds later, which again Kate pointed out.

Kate wanted to try ice skating, but only got two feet on the ice before saying she changed her mind. She rode the Carousel and told Santa of all the American Girl gifts she wanted. Kate noticed that Mrs. Claus was fake because she was wearing a wig, but “you could tell that Santa wasn’t fake.” As we concluded our new traditional adventure, Kate and I agreed that next year we would go in November when it would be warmer.

Pictures: Zoo Adventures 1 and Zoo Adventures 2

Selling SCRIP

Kate's school uses SCRIP to raise money for the school. The great thing is that the 70% of percentage given by the company goes directly towards Kate's tuition. If anyone is interested in purchasing cards for the holidays or any other time, please let me know. Here is a list of what cards are for sell Cards for Sale (Scrip). Please e-mail me at annette.whalen@gmail.com with your order, I can get the order started while you get payment to me. Thanks in advance!

simplemom.net

Is anyone joining this bookclub? Sounds interesting! Not just for parents.



The web site was interesting,too ! simplemom.net