Doing Something Right

I've  been horrifically neglectful of this poor old blog in recent times but I'm afraid other things had to come first - namely La-la and the Dude - and helping them to settle into their new life here in Canada.

I'm happy to report things are, thankfully, going well in that regard and therefore I should be able to resume regular posts here in the not too distant future 😃

La-la Enjoying The Falling Leaves of Autumn
And The Dude - Enjoying Himself in The Late Summer Heat

However, I had to take some time out today to share a proud mammy moment!

Many parents have lots of dreams and ambitions for their children and I suppose I do too in so far as I would like my children to have a life in which they can fulfill their potential and live a happy life and find true friends to share it with. However, my one over-riding ambition in relation to my children is that they grow up to be decent human beings - to be confident enough in themselves to show kindness and care to others and to be prepared to stand up for what's right.

But life is busy and a lot of the time it simply whizzes by and we find ourselves chasing after it - trying desperately to catch it by the tail - and all thoughts of dreams and ambitions for our kids are tossed aside as we run through the never ending to-do lists in our minds.

The Dude is astutely aware of just how busy a place my mind is and has developed a very smart system of cuddling up to me on the couch whenever he wants to chat or tell me something.  There's no ignoring him as his razor sharp elbow sticks into my ribs!

And so it was the other night as he settled in beside me - chugging away on his chocolate milk and looking over my shoulder at what I was doing on the computer.  As his warm breath hit my neck I asked him how his day had gone.  I got the usual rundown of the basketball games he'd played and some of the classroom stuff.  Then he told me how he had a math's project coming up. He waited for my response - knowing full well that any mention of an upcoming project gets my complete attention.

"Oh," I asked, "what's the story?"
"Oh, we just have a project coming up and we needed to partner up with someone else in the class to do it," he replied.
"So, who's your partner?" I asked.
He mentioned a boy's name who I hadn't heard him talking about before - let's call him Spencer.
"Did the teacher put you guys together? I asked.
"No," he replied, "I picked him."
"Oh, is he a nice boy?" I asked.
"Well, I like him but some of the other kids aren't crazy about him," he told me with a touch of sadness in his voice.
I have to admit, at this point I was intrigued...
"What's the story? Why don't some of the other kids like him?" I enquired.
"Because he's autistic." he replied.
"Oh," I said, fully understanding what he meant and with a sinking feeling in my heart for poor Spencer.  But what my son said next had my heart soaring and bursting with motherly pride!
"I knew none of the other kids were going to pick him, so I picked him," he said with a big smile.
I smiled back at him and wished him and Spencer all the best with their project.

That night, as I gave the Dude his bedtime cuddle, I banished all the to-do nonsense from my head and relished holding him in my arms and allowed myself a small pat on the back. This parenting gig is not easy but sometimes, just sometimes we might actually be doing something right 😊

Jesus The Superhero!

The discussion regarding various educational options goes on here in Canada and I happened to mention one of the schools I was considering was a Catholic school. The ensuing carversation went like this:

La-la: "Hold up a minute there Mother - did you say, Catholic school?"

Me: "Why yes, Daughter, I did!"

La-la: "Nope, nope just nope! I know that gang - they'll have us praying all day!"

La-la Sees Herself Like This - All day!

Me: "Well you might have to learn a few prayers but that's hardly going to do you any harm is it?"

La-la: "Huh! That's what you think!"

She was about to say something else when the Dude jumped in - very excited!

The Dude: "Oh! Oh! Wait a minute! The Catholics! Aren't they the ones with Jesus! Oh my God! That guy's so cool! Isn't he the one with the superpowers?"

Nobody got a chance to answer as he immediately answered his own question without pausing for breath.

The Dude: "Yes! Yes! He is! He can fly and everything! And he died and came back to life again! That guys so coooooool!"

I'm Thinking This Is How The Dude Sees Jesus!

And there you have it folks - I suppose you'd call that the power of Jesus - the ultimate superhero - at least according to the Dude. 😀

Do You Ever Wonder?

Do you ever wonder just by saying something are you actually sending a big fat challenge out to the Universe or God or who / whatever runs this whole show??? You know the old adage - humans make plans and God laughs. Well, I'm thinking there's something else at work when certain humans (like me!) make a big statement or dare to express happiness - it seems to convert into a sort of inter-galactic alert and some celestial committee decides these particular humans seem to be far too content with their lot - and it's time to screw with them!

The Universe, God, Whatever! There Seems To Be Something
Out There!

Honestly, it has been a delight to see the Dude so happy in his new school here in Canada. School and the Dude are not a natural fit and it has been a battle to get him to go ever since he started way back in Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Dude - Looking Decidedly Unsure!

I was fully expecting a complete nightmare sending him to a new school in a new country and at the worst possible time of year - final term. However, he has taken to the Canadian education system like a duck to water! And the day before yesterday I happily shared my delight at this fact with anyone who would listen! It would seem this was a mistake - I should have said nothing!

Yesterday came and it was a disaster! In his efforts to make friends at his new school he has played with both boys and girls and in the past few days has had great fun playing with two girls. So yesterday he was teased by some other girls and boys for playing with just these two girls.

It was probably harmless teasing along the lines of, "you've got a crush...blah, blah, blah" but the Dude takes all these things very much to heart and now he doesn't want to go to school! And when my stubborn, single-minded boy doesn't want to do something then he REALLY doesn't want to do it!

In the past twenty-four hours we have run the gamut of emotions from anger, to sadness, to tears, and only a mixture of threats and bribes got him out the door this morning.

I hope he has a better day today, maybe even a good one but I'll tell you something right now - you won't hear it from me if he does!

From Now On  - This Be Me!

Here's To You Mr. Robinson

The Mad Mammy has been wandering and I was all set to write a nice little post about my recent wanderings when I decided on a spot of procrastination instead and where better to indulge in that particular passing of the time than on facebeook.  Whilst there I came across a fabulous TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson, a man who believes we need to acknowledge multiple types of intelligence, cultivate creativity and radically rethink our education systems.  And I just happen to agree with him! However, Sir Ken puts it much more eloquently than me.

Sir Ken Robinson

Click on the link below and check out what he has to say.  You won't be sorry.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity