I started a blog post then. Thought better of posting it, maybe because of the whiny tone:
Sick (?) kidAnother grim piece of silver lining to the thing is at least Connor's being sick (?) coincided with a snow-and-ice day. Two home days for the price of one.
The oldest this time. His dad had a cold that laid him flat out, so I'm hoping to head that off by keeping Connor home for today. As far as solitude time goes this week is hosed anyway: reading with a student at Connor's school on Monday, opthamologist (now why the heck am I getting the red line of misspell under that? Blogger's dictionary doesn't recognize this word? It's not like it's that uncommon.) appointments tomorrow afternoon. I'll have to take them out of school, assuming they go. That subtracts 2 hours from alone time on a day I ordinarily have a full school day's worth. Wednesday 2 hours in the afternoon at Scott's school. Friday this week the school system has a teacher learning day. Scott's school has half days on Fridays anyway. They had MLK day off last week.
So I get a pass today on reading and library work.
This boy is my Chatty Cathy. I sent him in to do homework and he's still talking. I told him that I hope he's never in a situation where his life depends on his keeping his mouth shut. I told him he should tell them to just shoot him and get it over with. We had a good laugh.
At least the dog's doing great. The dental work has given him a new lease on life. He'd better live a long time.
I took the Myers-Briggs personality assessment years ago. At the time I tested as an extrovert, but just barely across the line from introversion. Something about having kids has pushed me deep into introversion territory. I get kind of twitchy when I don't get a certain amount of alone time. Solitude is a commodity for me, like money in the bank, or water in a bucket. I dole it out very stingily. I hoard it. And if the level dips below a certain amount I start to feel deprived. Particularly when it's been a long patch.
Last week I considered lost since they were going to be off on Friday. I think that's what helped me keep some equilibrium when I decided to keep Connor home from school. Last week was lost, but at least this week would be the start of a two week stretch of 5 day school weeks. The climax of the last two weeks of disruption was the superbowl party I let Connor throw. He invited 6 boys. From the get-go I told them that they were confined to downstairs, or outside. The noise leaked though. Gary had been wise enough to lay a tarp over the carpet in the area we allowed a food table. (Ordinarily we don't allow food and drink downstairs for kids; the several stained areas testify to the need for that rule.) I'd thought the kids were mature enough that they could have a party with food and drink and not trash the place. Now I'm thankful for the tarp.
Today was my holy grail. I didn't realize how much I was counting on it as I drove Scott down the hill to his school. I noticed that street parking was easier than usual. I noticed the van of another student's dad drive by. As Scott and I were crossing we waved. Before we could say hello the window was down and Emma was saying, "No school today." What????
God!
And dammit!
I mean, damn it
There is no such thing as aloneness with kids around. They are the antithesis of being alone. Even when they're downstairs watching TV and not directly demanding my attention I'm feeling guilty because they're downstairs watching TV.
At least I don't have to go to Connor's school to volunteer.
And the dog is still doing fine.
2 comments:
I'm glad the dog is doing so well. I need my alone time and don't apologize for it. I need to "recharge". I do so much for others, it's not like I have much of a choice.
My favorite part of this post was your exchange with Connor about how his chattiness would probably be his undoing under certain circumstances and the fact that you were both able to share in a laugh at that truth. A hallmark, it seems to me, of a relationship based on a foundation of trust.
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