The Great Thing My Kid(s) Did Today Was...

[1961]

Tying scarves together to jump rope in the living room because they know it's too cold outside to get their exercise.

edit-Of course anyone that is interested to share their experiences is welcome to do so. I decided to keep this little public record just to keep myself in check. It's easy for me to get caught up in what the kids need to do to keep maturing. I've been guilty of overlooking some of the positives that I experience with them on a daily basis.

[Jersey Yankee]

That's cute. How many scarves did she use? I'd forgotten to mention in that thread you'd shown her pic, she's a real cutie.

[1961]

That's cute. How many scarves did she use? I'd forgotten to mention in that thread you'd shown her pic, she's a real cutie.

Both of them used scarves. One scarf was big enough for a jump rope of its own. The other was comprised of two scarves. I just got done with the 'Grand Finale' of all their efforts. The coffee table was set up with pillows on either side. The trick was to jump/roll/spin/avoid busting head open/flip/dance from one side of the coffee table to the other. If it wasn't for the lack of proper lighting, I would've thought I was front row at Cirque Du Soleil.

[1961]

Today the girls went sledding with their cousin. They had 3 sleds, two of which worked great and one that was pretty crappy. Before they started I made a point of telling them to share the sleds equally so no one had less of a good time than the others. As I sat at the bottom of the hill, a pretty considerable distance from where they were, I saw them work out a routine where each user got the bad sled for a couple of turns and then it was passed on. At one point my youngest had it for 4 turns but never made a point to complain about it later.
All very positive, all had a great time. It's really great to just watch them be kids.

[sorigirl]

Today the girls went sledding with their cousin. They had 3 sleds, two of which worked great and one that was pretty crappy. Before they started I made a point of telling them to share the sleds equally so no one had less of a good time than the others. As I sat at the bottom of the hill, a pretty considerable distance from where they were, I saw them work out a routine where each user got the bad sled for a couple of turns and then it was passed on. At one point my youngest had it for 4 turns but never made a point to complain about it later.
All very positive, all had a great time. It's really great to just watch them be kids.

They sound like really good kids '61...you should be proud of yourself for raising them well.

[1961]

They sound like really good kids '61...you should be proud of yourself for raising them well.

Thanks Sori
Today we went shopping for our own little Super Bowl party. The store has those little taste-test stands so the girls opted to try a meat lasagna dish. Melissa took a little bite and handed the rest of her cup to me. I said, "You don't like it?" She said, "No way, yours is Much better!"
The woman that was hosting the stand looked me in disbelief and said, "You cook?" As we walked away I chuckled at the thought of how incompetent she must think men are.

[sorigirl]

Thanks Sori
Today we went shopping for our own little Super Bowl party. The store has those little taste-test stands so the girls opted to try a meat lasagna dish. Melissa took a little bite and handed the rest of her cup to me. I said, "You don't like it?" She said, "No way, yours is Much better!"

That is SO cute!!!!

The woman that was hosting the stand looked me in disbelief and said, "You cook?" As we walked away I chuckled at the thought of how incompetent she must think men are.

Freakin women!!!

[PattiLuvsPinstripes]

Rick,

I guess either you a) got lazy today and didn't take the time to share a story about the great things the girls did today, or b) they had a bad day. I think it is probably selection a) since they seem to be so sweet. You need to get back on the ball here since sorigirl and I enjoy the updated 1961's Kids Chronicles.

Patti

[1961]

Rick,

I guess either you a) got lazy today and didn't take the time to share a story about the great things the girls did today, or b) they had a bad day. I think it is probably selection a) since they seem to be so sweet. You need to get back on the ball here since sorigirl and I enjoy the updated 1961's Kids Chronicles.

Patti

Thanks for holding me accountable Patti.
I thought about this thread a lot today which is a good thing. I'm more on the look out for those things that make me want to write their praises.
The girls were status quo today which in it's own right should be worth mentioning but as I've come to expect certain behavior from them, as they have from me, it would typically go without saying.
Their morning checklist was completed almost on time but certainly within the boundries of getting to school on time. When they complete all of their morning/evening chores on time they get a star. 15 stars and they get 2 nights to stay up for an extra half hour.
The only expectation I had today was that they do their homework when they're supposed to. Melissa had finished hers in school and Samantha took care of hers without issue. I only had to raise my voice once when Samantha started to get into that, "I'm the center of the universe" mindset but she came out of it quickly.
So, no news is good news .

[1961]

HONOR ROLL BABY!!!!!
Melissa had made Honor Roll every marking period in 3rd grade but when she started 4th grade it was clear that things were going to be much tougher. She missed Honor Roll in the first marking period which wasn't a surprise and we agreed that she just needed to get more comfortable with the curriculum and higher level of accountability.
More important than the 6 A's and 6 B's that she brought home today was that she improved or maintained her grades in 9 out of 11 classes.

Samantha on the other hand?
6-Difficulty following directions
9-Needs to listen attentively
Gee, like I didn't know that?

Overall I would say she had a B- which is fine but the 3rd grade will eat her up if she doesn't buckle down. In the long run I'm not too worried about her. She's the same kid that pulls ice pops out of the freezer to go sell them outside on a warm summer day. The same kid that asks Melissa's friends when they come over, "Wanna lollipop? Oh, you do? One dollar please!"

[Bub]

What are the ages of your kids, 61? Every year brings new challenges for the parents as well. My oldest just turned 15, which means I'll be teaching her to drive next year.

Shoot me.

[1961]

What are the ages of your kids, 61? Every year brings new challenges for the parents as well. My oldest just turned 15, which means I'll be teaching her to drive next year.

Shoot me.

Oh Man Bub! I haven't even started to prep myself for that kind of thing. Is raising children the best experience of your life or what?
Feel free to share any feel good stories that come up.

[Bub]

Oh Man Bub! I haven't even started to prep myself for that kind of thing. Is raising children the best experience of your life or what?

No doubt. It's also a lot of work. Right now, I'm a taxi driver. Everybody plays at least 1 sport, so there's somebody to pick up at a different place every day, and there's at least 1 other kid to drop off too. I don't get a break on the weekends either as school functions and sports go 7 days a week here. This is my own fault though, as I "force" my kids to play at least 1 sport and play an instrument, which keeps them busy and out of trouble. As they say, "an idle mind is the devil's playground." I have a freshman, an 8th grader and a 6th grader.

[Kiwiwriter]

I have to go with what Wallis did with her friends Ronnie and Vera last Saturday. I took them to the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn for one of the many creative art workshops they hold for kids. This time the subject was “colography,” which involved making paper trains and buildings, covering them over with ink, and then pressing the ink-covered buildings down onto a long mural that represented a street over a subway line. Wallis made a two-car train, Ronnie a caboose, Vera an engine. After that, they all made buildings. But the “Highland Avenue Monster Club,” as Vera and Ronnie named them, was not satisfied. So Vera created a little person, while Ronnie and Wallis made trees, so that this city would have a park and people. This Sunday they’re going back for the Jewelry-making workshop. And today, Wallis is going to a special class for gifted and talented students at New Jersey Institute of Technology. The class is for fourth graders, and she's a third-grader (and was jumped over 1st grade), but her GT teacher wants her to go anyway. It's about architecture and art. Wallis is a genius, but she can't find her rollerblades.

[1961]

Wallis is a genius, but she can't find her rollerblades.

After all, geniuses have more important things to remember . Very cool name. What's it's origin?
Nice to see you in a positive post Kiwi. I hope things are well.

[Kiwiwriter]

After all, geniuses have more important things to remember . Very cool name. What's it's origin?
Nice to see you in a positive post Kiwi. I hope things are well.

Wallis's name comes from two sources. The first is Kathy's lifelong friend Wallis Osterholz ("The Original Wallis"), who had a major role in raising Kathy. The Original Wallis is the last Osterholz -- she can't find any relatives in phone books, so naming our girl for her was a way of extending her line. Also, "Wallis" means "someone who has come a long distance," and "The Duplicate Wallis" was born in New Zealand, which is 9,861 miles from New York. That's a long distance. Oddly enough, there's an "Osterholts Lane" near Christchurch, which is probably an Anglicization of the German name, and honors some early immigrants to New Zealand. So the original Wallis probably has relatives down there. It's funny when the original Wallis comes to visit...when someone calls out "Wallis!" both answer. In New Zealand, I told the folks that her name was spelled like "that awful woman," and everyone knew I meant Wallis Simpson.

[PattiLuvsPinstripes]

HONOR ROLL BABY!!!!!
More important than the 6 A's and 6 B's that she brought home today was that she improved or maintained her grades in 9 out of 11 classes.

Samantha on the other hand?
6-Difficulty following directions
9-Needs to listen attentively
Gee, like I didn't know that?

Overall I would say she had a B- which is fine but the 3rd grade will eat her up if she doesn't buckle down. In the long run I'm not too worried about her. She's the same kid that pulls ice pops out of the freezer to go sell them outside on a warm summer day. The same kid that asks Melissa's friends when they come over, "Wanna lollipop? Oh, you do? One dollar please!"

Way to go Melissa!! I think we may have a future Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society member here.

And Samantha sounds like she will be a budding entrepeneur ready to take on The Donald in The Apprentice, Season 18.

[PattiLuvsPinstripes]

My oldest just turned 15, which means I'll be teaching her to drive next year.

Shoot me.

OMG I feel for you Bub. Keep the young one far away from AZ please.

[PattiLuvsPinstripes]

After all, geniuses have more important things to remember . Very cool name. What's it's origin?
Nice to see you in a positive post Kiwi. I hope things are well.

Ditto for me too Kiwi. It sounds like being with and talking about Wallis brings joy to your heart.

[Evil Empire]

What are the ages of your kids, 61? Every year brings new challenges for the parents as well. My oldest just turned 15, which means I'll be teaching her to drive next year.

Shoot me.

Well she is a girl, and they're not very good drivers

[1961]

And Samantha sounds like she will be a budding entrepeneur ready to take on The Donald in The Apprentice, Season 18.

She's gonna have a budding toilet cleaning business if I catch her in bed playing with makeup a half hour after bedtime again. Hey, she wanted to stay up, why not make it constructive?

[PattiLuvsPinstripes]

She's gonna have a budding toilet cleaning business if I catch her in bed playing with makeup a half hour after bedtime again. Hey, she wanted to stay up, why not make it constructive?

Hey, it's a girl thing!
I sense you fail to grasp the importance of experimenting with beauty and pampering products in the life of a young female. I'm going to have to work on this with you!

[1961]

Hey, it's a girl thing!
I sense you fail to grasp the importance of experimenting with beauty and pampering products in the life of a young female. I'm going to have to work on this with you!

Oh I'm all for bringing out the beauty. Hell, I've let her do my nails and hair a few times. But when it's bedtime and she knows the difference between right and wrong.....

*holds out a toilet brush*

[1961]

Well she is a girl, and they're not very good drivers

Oh man, that was just....., just.....


Evil!

[PattiLuvsPinstripes]

Oh I'm all for bringing out the beauty. Hell, I've let her do my nails and hair a few times. But when it's bedtime and she knows the difference between right and wrong.....

*holds out a toilet brush*

Ok, I'll stop trying to defend Samantha for disobeying Daddy.
It sounds like she has more then enough opportunity to play beauty shop as it is.