Tripping Over Strings, and you?
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 12:03AM
My nephew hard at work this summer with some of his birthday tape …Well, I finally stopped making excuses, and we started school today! It went remarkably smoothly, thanks to some established habits from last year, and I hope the rest of the week goes as well. I do NOT plan on waking up extra early to bake special GF scones for the next 4 days however, the lovely piles of yummy dust they ended up being. (Note to self, do not try new recipes before you’re fully awake, and especially not before 4 growling stomachs are dragged to your table to start their day! Spoon bread would be a better name …) To keep the day going smoothly, I have to get my thoughts out in a mere 15 minutes so we’ll see how that goes.
I like string. My boys love string. It’s handy, fun, and infinitely versatile. When not put to use though, it’s always in the way. The boys leave bits of it all over the floor, the cats try to eat it (and you better hope they don’t succeed, so not fun to clean up after that one!) and I end up throwing it away. It irritates me, as do many small things like that. Things that were ideas, but never fully realized so they languish in pieces on the floor. Things that get in the way of other things. I think I’m a magnet for such cluttery things, or more accurately, gave birth to two such clutter-seeking things.
What I’ve come to realize though is that I’m a great clutterer myself, in the emotional department. I’ve written essays about it in the past, but still don’t seem to do well at actually divesting myself of heavy feelings. I wrap myself up in analyses, assumptions, responsibilities, and distractions that effectively hog-tie me to my chair. I am my own worst enemy, it’s true. It’s why I’m harder on son #1 than his younger sibling, because I see those same things … procrastination, avoidance, unreasonable expectations, and more, embedding themselves deeper in his character, and I’m afraid he’ll turn out like me! I need to find a way to spring the traps I set for myself without actually falling into them, and model better behavior for him rather than try to preach to him from the pit.
I see the trainwreck coming, I really do, but it’s so damn hard to step back and redirect it before it runs over the flow of the day, the emotional well-being of myself and my kids! Setting realistic expectations is a big key, and so is keeping healthy snacks flowing so that blood-sugars don’t plummet and set off the crazies. Simple words and ideas, so easy to trip over for me.
So my friends, what do you trip over? Any obvious strings that get you every time? Any ideas on how to keep them out of the way? Love to hear!
Reader Comments (4)
Just wanted to let you know that I'm reading and enjoying your posts even though I am not commenting much at the moment.
I'm teaching three days a week and trying to juggle the demands of that with the demands of the children and trying to prevent the house descending into total chaos! And constantly beating myself up about not managing to do it all! (And I shouldn't really be online now either...)
Thanks so much! Appreciate it, and yes you have your hands more than full. I hear you, especially that last bit that I fail at managing every single day ... -- SaneMom
The cats sleep on the dining room table a lot. This weekend I discovered that the dog does sometimes, too. Last night I came home to find library books and mail and other dining room table detritus all over the floor. I didn't trip over it. I looked away and stepped over and pretended it hadn't happened. It's still there right now because I "just couldn't deal." I know I'd feel better if the table were clear but it seems overwhelming. So I kind of trip over not tripping these days.
That last paragraph about the train wreck is Tori and I completely! I see it coming and instead of jumping in front of it with Superman strength, I avoid it hoping I'm wrong. Nine times out of ten I'm not.
It's hard when you see qualities in your kids that you have yourself--and that you don't like about yourself. I'm trying to be easier on myself about those type of things. Nobody is perfect!