Bullies

Prior to May 23, 2007, I always talked to Alex and taught him the violence is not the answer. I made it VERY clear that I never wanted to see him punch, hit, slap, or push someone because there is always a better way to deal with anger other than through violence.

After Wednesday, however, I had to reevaluate what I was teaching him regarding physical strength. I received a call from the school saying that Alex fell and his cloths were very muddy. I said that I would run a clean pair of shorts and a t-shirt to him ASAP. When I arrived at the school, the principle approaches me and said that he was taking care of it. Out walks my son, in tears, covered in mud, and holding an ice pack over the bump on his head. W*H*A*T??? Apparently, a kid in the first grade was being a bully to some of the kindergarten kids and Alex was one of his targets. Alex exclaimed that "he tried to get away from him". I had to keep swallowing the lump in my thought because I didn't want him to see me cry. "be strong be strong be strong be strong be strong". As the bully walks out of the office, I give him that look - the one that every mother has or needs to master - the one that makes any child regardless of age quiver in there underpants. I wanted to pick him up and say if you hurt my baby again -you'll be messing with me, but I didn't.

The kid was 1/3 of Alex's size! How in the heck did this happen? I told Alex to go change and we would talk when he was finished. I watched him walk to the bathroom still in tears over this ordeal. The principle had the child in his office punishing him with detention/no recess/no field-trip. Alex came out of the bathroom and I first asked him if he did anything to provoke this kid (I was already told he didn't by the teacher but I wanted to hear it from him). He said no and that this kid had picked on him before. Alex has never said a word about this kid to me and I've asked him specifically about things like this in the past. Then I went back on my previous "no violence" rule. I exclaimed that if a bully is picking on him or he witnesses a kid being physically bullied and he has tried to tell teachers or talk to the kid, he may have to use physical strength to grab the kid and bring him down. One left hook should take care of it....right? Yep - it's not my proudest mommy moment but I don't want my kid to grow up never knowing how to defend himself or other people who are being victimized. Isn't it our innate human reaction to fight back (fight or flight syndrome)....have I tried to completely reverse what nature hardwired our intuitions to be?

Well - I'm too tired and I have tons of homework to do yet to answer those questions right now. When I tucked him into bed tonight I suggested we pray for Tommy (not his real name) since he must be a terribly sad boy to be so mean. Alex closed his eyes and a few seconds later said DONE. I don't know what he prayed for - I hope it wasn't for Tommy to catch the chicken pox or something - but I guess that for he and God to work out. I asked Alex is Tommy had many friends, which Alex said no, and I also suggested that we invite him over to play sometime but Alex just looked at me like "don't push it mom"

Summer Goals

LEARN TO GOLF! This is number one on my list since Alex really enjoys golfing. I've only tried to golf once and the person I was golfing with said I looked like Olive Oyle - all legs and arms. This was a bit discouraging - true but discouraging.... but I'm determined to learn this summer. (Also consider this a PSI announcement for those of you golfing with or around me - you might want to wear a helmet to protect yourself)

Teach Alex how to fish without depending on any of my friends/family/or friends husbands I LOVE to eat fish but hate touching the slimy bastards! Ick - I'm cringing just thinking about this one.

Have a picnic with my friends. I really don't do this often enough. It seems that summer comes and goes and I rarely get time to just sit in the grass with my girlfriends and visit. Okay - maybe my new summer hat is motivating me on this one but it's really cute and it would look so darn good sitting on my head in the park.

Dunk my head under water I'm deathly afraid of water

Continue my devotions I'm a slacker in the summer when it comes to devotions. NEED TO CONTINUE DEVOTIONS!!!!

Alright - summer is only 3 months long so I think I have enough to keep me busy.

Much to say about nothing

Oh oh - someone has a case of the Monday's! I had SUCH an unproductive weekend. Alex went to visit his dad so Friday night, we gathered his belongings (and I mean virtually his entire room) and off we were to MN. On my way back, I stopped by my girlfriends house for a "quick visit" and ended chatting until 12:00a.m.! Her husband boggles at the concept that we can talk non-stop for that long, but seriously, there is rarely a gap in the conversation! Stacey is such a riot and a wonderful friend and I love her dearly.

So Saturday...I was going to finish the wallpaper project right? I slept until 11:00!! Yikes - I got up, put some sweats on, had a bowl of cereal and then I thought "well maybe I should get some homework done before the weekend is over". I must have only read a few pages before I feel BACK to sleep! I slept until 7:00p.m.! IS that even sleeping? At what point are you considered in a coma?

Oh - but the most exciting part of my weekend? I had a date on Sunday!!!! We had plans to see a movie and then go out for dinner afterwards. Okay - the date was Alex and we seen Shriek 3 and had lunch at Applebees but considered the rest of my weekend was spent sleeping, this was defiantly the high point of my weekend. The movie was good, but I think there was more adult humor that pushed the envelope at times. Alex loved the movie - of course Alex loves anything to do with "tooting" (which Shriek does quite a bit of) so it wasn't a tough sell for him. I was really surprised to see that a majority of the people at the theater were not children. There were lots of college/high school kids and adults.

One of those days

Last night was one of those nights that I swear I saw Alex’s head spin 360 degrees! I picked him up early and I anticipated an excited child who was eager to spend more quality time with his mom rather than being at the rec. center. Nope – I DRAGGED him to the car with him screaming that he wasn’t done playing basketball. I explained that I would be more than willing to play – but according to him I’m not very good.

So we made it home and he immediately was sent into a time-out. He’s crying and he knows that time-out doesn’t start until he’s quiet but he felt the need to get one more jab in – with the most determined voice a six-year-old can conjure, he says “I’m going to write a book someday and it’s going to be called God doesn’t like moms!!”

At least his goals of being an author are more ambitious than those of becoming a pirate. I wonder if he’ll dedicate it to me. Ah, the joys of motherhood.

Career Paths

Summer of 2006 (pre-kindergarten)
Mom - Alex, what do you want to be when you get bigger?
Alex - A doctor or a cop


Summer of 2007 (post-kindergarten)
Mom - Alex, what do you want to be when you get bigger?
Alex - A pirate


Is this what the No Child Left Behind act intended?
Oh well, either way he should be able to buy his mom a Harley Davidson some day - legality may be in question though.