This week, two of them are earning money and one is spending money, so I suppose we’re heading in the right direction. Oldest Child has started his summer job; the first time he’s had an office job and has earned any sort of significant amount above minimum wage. Let’s hope it’s a trend. Read more…
Madonna Women
Apparently, recent research shows that fifty-something women have landed the most jobs since the start of the recession. Women aged between 50 and 64 have fared better than men and any other age group during the crisis and are the ones getting most of the available jobs. This demographic has also been dubbed the “Madonna generation”, as they are more likely to view Madonna than Grandma Grey as a role model. Read more…
F.O.G.
What a cute, brotherly bonding moment. Within eight days of each other, Middle Child (16) and Step-Son (25) both got speeding tickets… at EXACTLY the same location in the city. Same lane, same part of the intersection. We are so proud. And have the matching police photos as a souvenir.
So within three months of turning 16, MC has managed to clock up both an expensive little fender-bender and a speeding ticket. Nice. I have said for many years that out of all my kids, he was the one I was most worried about when it came to driving, as he’s always been a “live life at full speed” kind of guy. Turns out I was right. And what the heck happened to his promise to “drive like a granny” after his accident in January? Grrrrr. Read more…
The Teen Whisperer
I learn far more about Middle Child’s life from my friend Anne than I ever do from him. Anne is one of my fellow car-pooling soccer moms but, unlike mine, her car seems to be a place of teenage disclosures and lively conversation. At least when it comes to my son.
I have no idea what she does to prompt such revelations. I’ve tried. Sometimes I’ll sit and stay quiet for the entire journey, hoping that the boys will forget that I’m there and conversation will flow. Nothing. I’ve tried introducing some conversational gambits to help stimulate their vocal chords. Nothing. They remain resolutely plugged in to their tunes. And it doesn’t even work in reverse; it’s not like her boy opens up when he’s in my car. So I can only assume that Anne is…. The Teen Whisperer. Read more…
Summer Jobs for Teenagers
I am a big fan of child labour. Get ‘em out to work early and get ‘em earning money. I’m only half joking.
Finding a summer job is a topic of some discussion in our household at the moment. Oldest Child knows he has to, Middle Child (by far the most materialistic of the three) is desperate to, and Youngest Child has no apparent desire to at all. Read more…
Just The Right Amount of Love
I think I may have finally reached the pinnacle of my motherhood. My two younger boys are on spring break this week. Awash with motherly guilt about having to work while they are off school and hanging at home, last night I asked Youngest Child if there was anything he wanted to do this week as I was quite prepared to take a day off work to spend some time with him. Read more…
Winning – Good or Bad?
The Provincials weekend at the Days Inn has come and gone. The jacuzzi tub was great. The soccer? Not so much. The boys did not win the provincial title and were absolutely gutted. Middle Child walked out of the medal ceremony, thrust his bronze medal towards me and said, “Here, take this. I never want to see it again.” Sore loser? You bet. As uber-competitive athletes, they were all hurting and humiliated. Not living up to expectations is a bitter pill to swallow. Read more…
Germs!
“I was given a gift from my children. As I unwrapped it, my throat became dry and sore, my nose started to run, a cough ensued followed by a fever and swollen tonsils. It was the gift of a virus.”
This was the opening paragraph of an email from one of my more imaginative and theatrical staff members, explaining why he was absent from work this week. Any of us who have had young children can relate. Those early elementary years are brutal; even the strongest immune system can’t hold up against the continual onslaught of mutating germs, viruses and bacteria. Read more…
International Women’s Day!
On International Women’s Day, this goes out to all women everywhere. Even if you’re not juggling mothers, you will be juggling. Because you’re women.
Women have strengths that amaze men….
They bear hardships and they carry burdens, hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in..
They stand up to injustice.
They don’t take “no” for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.
Always remember yours.
Good Not Crazy
My three sporty boys are now teenagers. Which means that I have observed about 15 years worth of parental craziness when it comes to sports teams. The politicking and back-room deals to get their kid onto the ‘A’ team, the promise of monetary rewards for scoring a goal, the verbal trashing of teammates because their own little darling must be the star, the fights in the parking lot (yes, really), and the frequent moves from team to team because the current team is just never good enough. I’ve even seen parents sitting in the stands with a stopwatch so that they could keep track of exactly how much playing time their amazing offspring got. Read more…