That Time Already?

Yesterday I watched the yellow bus driving up the street and knew they were making the run to check timing on their run. School was starting and I’m not ready for it. I’m sure parents are, but it signals the end of summer. My most favorite season. I played all summer with the kids. It was glorious, except for a few years.

For a couple years, summer seemed hard and I was relieved to get the kids back to a schedule, routine, and give me some peace of mind. About the summer my oldest was out of 6th grade, life seemed easier. It was like 2 or 3 years and the summers were tough. Maybe they were older. I don’t know, but my friend and I sat down one day and made plans for summer. At least 3 times a week we fixed lunch, whatever we had in the house and met at a park between us. The older kids rode their bikes and we stayed for several hours while they rode bikes, played ball, and played on the playground equipment. We had enough food to keep them happy and some days other friends would be there. We spent time at the pool and each others house. Movies, painting, canyon picnics, watermelon busts, and anything to keep them active. We had reading contests, chess competitions, monopoly days, puzzle days, and cleaning contests. Sometimes we would just put a video in and have downtime. We even had things written on scraps of paper, so the kids could take turns drawing the activities out of a hat. With 7 kids between us, we had variety. These were the days before everyone had a tablet, cell phone, or lots of computers. We enjoyed the outside mostly and each other. I actually cried when school began, I know, crazy. It was fun to be with the kids.

Every year now, you can feel it in the air and see it in the stores. Nostalgia hits and I feel tears in my eyes. So, this morning I felt a bit teary eyed as I saw my neighbor’s grandchildren outside waiting for the bus. The bus came and some kind of quiet settled in the atmosphere. My garden is dying and harvesting starts. I’ll take my grandson Sweet J to pick some peaches and tomatoes today, but the swimming pools are closed, the amusement park is only open on the weekends, and it’s feeling like now is the time to gear up for lots of homework and changing our routine. I hate being pushed into this stuff and yet, it is needed.

With structure, the children thrive. Homework, practice, school events. It brings a sense of community. My son’s community did a back to school event. They had a pie eating contest, a dunk tank, the D.A.R.E. car and officers, along with city officials, and a movie in the park night. Kohl’s donated stuffed animals and other gifts for the kids who turned in their summer reading cards. It seemed like a wonderful event to bring the families and kids together. Back to school night is all we usually get, but it isn’t as fun as this was. Kudos to Clinton City. I hope other communities will follow suit. My son said he felt a bit jealous they had this and he didn’t when he went back to school.

So yes, it is that time of year already. Time went fast. Weekdays into weekends and so forth. We had fun celebrations in the communities surrounding us, fireworks, swimming, picnics, and lazy days. I loved every minute of it and when my grandchildren are old enough to go to school, I’ll cry more because I like playing and reading with them.

Now I feel as though I need to go buy pencils, pencil boxes, and notebooks.

Finding Joy

When my kids were younger, they would come home from school complaining about many small issues. To them, they were big, but in fact, looked at differently, they were small. I pondered on how to turn this around. The one thing was I would listen to their complaints as long as they told me 3 good things first. Well, the complaining lessened. I don’t know if they found something good about school or they struggled with finding good comments about school. They were hard days.

Looking back, they were also good days. Someone told me, little children, little problems, big children…

This morning I listened to a video about finding joy in your life and not shame, sadness, or blame about the past. The things in your past brought you here. Find 3 good things in your life and connect them back because I’m sure you wouldn’t understand the joy without the thing that brought you pain or unhappiness.

Best thing we can do for a baby on the way is to help bring happiness to Mom and Dad and help to fill the environment with happiness and joy. Also, Mom needs good food, like fresh vegetables and fruits. She also needs a good vitamin and mineral supplement as does Dad because he will be needed to help. If other children are in the home, they need enlightenment, joy, and positive thoughts. I know it is hard when money is short. I have been the Mom expecting a new baby and I compared all my pregnancies to my attitudes and the foods I ate while pregnant. Since then I spent time studying and reading books. They all concur with my feelings and my insights to those around me having children.

Contribute happy thoughts, happy words, and maybe invite Mom, Dad, and family to a meal. Keep things inviting and fun. If there is an abundance, share with the family. Lack of nutrition in or out of the womb can cause a mental handicap.

Also, children–small and adults will thrive with touch. You touch a person in many ways. When my little grandson Sweet J is with me, first thing in the morning, I hug him and then kiss his cheeks, the top of his head, his cute hands, and then his feet–which makes him giggle. He likes it when I rub the back of his neck and then touch his arms, telling him how strong his arms are. Then to his hands and fingers and telling him he has capable hands and fingers and that they are strong. I tell him all the things he’ll be able to do with them. I touch his mouth and tell him his smile is beautiful and that his words make me smile. I emphasize using good words. I continue  to all the parts of him that makes him strong, i.e., ears, eyes, legs, knees, feet, joints. He smiles as I tell him. I let him know he is good and that he’s smart.

These things are easy as they are small, but as the children get older and then become adults, we have to find other ways to help them build their strength. Sometimes, we’re not so happy with the choices they make and we tell them rather than let them know the good things they do. It’s what I have to work on myself, but isn’t it so much better to tell them something good about them and listen because when all is said and done I am still the Mom and they are still my children and they still want us to be happy about something for them just as they were excited to show us their first painting from school.