The Children Find Their Way

There is never any rest for the weary is there now? I'm continually asked where I get all my energy. Well I have no idea what people are talking about because I run on empty most of the time let me tell you! Today I was so tired I like to have keeled over from the sheer weight of all I had to do. The kids sensed my tiredness and didn't want to cooperate. Suddenly Tink was yawning and declaring she wanted a rest. Of course, she was doing school work so no wonder she wanted a rest.

Peter continually begged to be let out of reading class "until I'm older". How funny is that? I about cracked up when he said that. He's reading small words now like Pat, cat, fat, ran, man, pan, etc. It's so exciting to teach a kid to read. Anyway both kids were lounging in their chairs and not excited about school at all today. So we only spent about 2 1/2 hours at our work. I streamlined some of the subjects insomuch that we were able to complete everything but Math even though we had a late start and an early dismissal.

I have this notion that the kids must be kept busy doing something constructive all the time. Now if they're outside playing I don't care what they're doing because just being outside is healthy and wholesome by itself. But in the house I about lose it if I see them lounging around. I'm sure this is a carry over of my girlhood days when any dawdling was quickly met with discipline..well.. if Pop was home it was anyway.

When we were young we worked from morning till night and when we managed to sandwich in play time we still worked! We'd go in the front field and pick blackberries in the heat. Then we'd take them up to our ramshackle barn and slide them through a window where the sister inside would pretend to weigh them and we'd pretend to pay her in return. Then off to our dolls to pretend to process the berries. Why didn't we just sit under a shade tree, for pity sake?

I do remember one summer when my sister Gwen and I spent every free minute lounging in lawn chairs on the front lawn reading the Trixie Belden books. I precisely remember feeling like "other people" while I read in the hot sun, crossing my legs and dangling my foot off to the side of my leg. What can I say? I lived in lala land most of my childhood, always trying to be the character in whatever book I was reading at the time. I was a weird one to be sure.

But anyway because of my work ethic I have a huge problem with seeing my kids in activities that are less than constructive. I'm happy to report that the kids seem to be getting better at remaining self employed when I'm not there to direct them. The last week they have made lots of things with perler beads. The only problem is that they want me to iron their creations immediately after they make them but that too I can tolerate. At least they're making and doing something.

Peter has been playing a lot with his magnetix. I'm bummed though because I spent ten bucks on a tiny little set of magnetix only to discover that you can buy bags of them at the dollar store! They're not quite the same quality but they're magnets so who cares?

Peter has also discovered that he can put together harder puzzles than he originally supposed he could. I have him do puzzles as part of his school work and you should see how proud he is of himself when he completes a hard one that only Tink could do originally.

And believe it or not I've finally found a book Tink loves. For the first time in her life she is asking me to read to her. So what is this book that has so captured the child? None other than the old children's classic The Princess and the Goblin! I'm so happy I could cry. It's the book I've been reading to her during literature class. We're reading Heidi for our supplemental reading and she's not quite as excited about that one. Even Peter sits in on Lit and listens to the story of the Princess. When Tink narrates Peter corrects her. She hates it and I'm not sure how to handle it. Tinks comprehension is so low that although Peter is four years younger he comprehends more than she does.

He listened fascinated today while I read about James Watt inventing the steam engine. It was Tinks science class but he was all ears. When narration came he immediately pops up with the fact that the man had invented Thomas the Train. Boy did Tink scoff. So I had to assure Peter that in many ways Watt did invent Thomas the steam engine. Kids do say the darndest things. I decided today though that I'll have to get an easier Science book for Tink. We're using The Story of Inventions and even though it's geared for her age it's just going over her head.

So the fall days come and go and life moves on. I love these days with my kids even though my days are full and stuffed to the brim with energy sapping activities. I guess the only other alternative would be to sit in the chair and rot so I may as well stay busy and thank God I have the health to do so.