Posts
After 4 days of constant barraging of whine- and not the good kind that takes the edge off- Mom, can we go swimming? (It's raining) We never do anything fun! (this week they have had 3 games, 2 practices, and 3 friends over) I hate your stupid reward and punishment list! (it's working well, no?)... I gave in this afternoon... I brought them to the library. Now, this is not my idea of fun, but they were excited, so we were on our way.
So, at first I have to beg the lady at the counter for a good idea for a book for my 13 year old son, who frankly I'm afraid is turning all "emo" on me! He's not a lover of reading, but I insisted he find something to occupy rainy days and down time. He does not like Sci-Fi type stuff and he's not a girl- it seems like most of the books toward his age group were in those categories. So with eyes nearly getting stuck up in his head, the nice lady picked out 3 books that were sport related- perfect! As she walked away, he put them back- I know she saw him out of her peripheral vision- I (not so) slyly slapped off his baseball hat and muttered as I ground my teeth "you are getting those damn books!"
Lovely, so we are off to a nice start on our little outing. Next, I run over to child #2- she is going in 4th grade and has read every book in each series that she has any interest in. She's flipping through a magazine. "Ooh, Will Camp Rock or High School Musical be better!" Don't know, don't care, you're making me look like a bad mom, by flipping through a thoughtless magazine in a library (bad influence, ya think?)- go find a BOOK or 8!
Now, child #3, is a lover of books, finally! She was reading in preschool and has a seventh grade reading level(she is going into 2nd)- not a skill that she inherited from me! But it's awesome, she's a borderline geek when it comes to books. Don't get me wrong, she's very cool and has friends, but she is sucker for non-fiction! By time I'm done with #1 & #2, #3 has about 15 encyclopedia looking books- she's ready to go. She's my favorite at this moment!
I run back to the preschool age books and grab a handful (sadly, the ones she likes are the ones that are taken from cartoons-oh well) of Dora, Calliou, Barney, Arthur and I threw in some Berenstain Bears for good measure because I like them. Done. Head to the front to checkout.
I owe $24.80 from last summer's overdue books!!! WTF? I don't have my checkbook or $25 cash, so she says since it's under $25 that I can still check out new books and I will have to pay next time I come in (which may be a while after the way this trip went!) So we get all checked out, put our ridiculous number of books in my eco friendly grocery bags and I've lost Beebs! I find her playing with dolls, wha? Where did you get these from? There is a display where they sell "Ty" Brand baby dolls- AT THE LIBRARY!!! So the tug of war is on. I try to pull them out of a very strong, screaming and yelling 3 year olds' grip. The tags rip off and I throw them back on the display and run out.
My theory proves true, this trip was a huge let down, that's what I get.
Now I must:
Find a new library, preferably one without a toy department!
Remember to turn these books back in ON TIME!
Never be foolish and do something "nice" for my kids again!
.jpg)
8 comments:
I'll bet your 13-year old would like Touching Spirit Bear. It's about a tough, bully-type kid who is faced with jail or banishment on an island. He chooses the island, of course. All of my emo students love this book! :)
P.S. I teach grades 6-7-8. I agree that they need to be taught independence, but every child is different, and some are more ready than others in the same grades. One way I get my students to take responsibility for their own grades is to have them log in to the school's on-line grading stuff (instead of having their parents or me do it all the time). This puts the responsibility back on them. Most of them don't even mind doing it after a while.
Oh my gosh, I became exhausted just reading about you having to shuffle around to 4 kids in the library! How do you keep it all together--I give you props sista!
I can relate to the late fees...I always have over due fees at the librbary, EVERY SINGLE time (plus my cat has been known to put teeth marks in several books, so I've had to pay for those too! Makes the library not so much of a $$ saver after all that!)
~Christy (heavy on the caffeine)
Why-oh-why do our excellent parenting skills have to be put to the test so-o-o often?!?
Can't our children just accept that we KNOW what is good and right and just follow our lead?
I'm there in spirit. (Or, in 'spirits'. Which ever mood your in!)
haha I can just envision myself on such a trip.
Kids are so trying sometimes, and like yourself I am so not the patient, quiet little mummy, I am a screaming ball of bitch with 4 screaming little brats....urrrr kids. lol
I stopped going to the library because it just got too expensive. Cheaper to buy a book at B&M for me. I could never get books back by the due date.
Our silly library put some stupid boat in the kid's section which all the kids want to play on now. It drives me insane that they did that. What was the library thinking?
We do go to the library often. All my kids love n my case I am the restless one. Can we go now, don't you have that book, let's go to the park, do you want an ice cream. I ask all those darn questions. And God love them after 2 hours or so we are out that door. Two+ hours. Girlfriend, Keep them at home & let them whatch Tv! :-) Just kidding!
you are so right-the sweetest most unrealistic mom's have the brattiest kids.
I mean, my kids are definitely testy-but at least they catch on when mommy sends the message via the stink eye.
Post a Comment