Reality Me

I have one child that refuses to accept my time management lessons and lacks organizational skills. Of course, perhaps I’m not the best teacher or example. I like the Franklin-Covey system based on Stephen R. Covey’s First Things First (book) ( the cd version is great too ).

Today this child decides to sleep in then at the last minute explains that she is taking her roller skate shoes and requests I fix a mechnical problem with one of the wheels.

My first inclination is to say "a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine" and tell her that I cannot do it. But this is a sweet child and I want to come to her aid. No! NOOOOoooo! Not the puppy dog eyes!

Let’s see if I can come through and get this wheel fixed.

Update: Shoe fixed.

Student: My burden is heavy.
Master: Why do you lift so much?

My wife has declared that I am no longer allowed to go to PTA meetings, Open Houses, Parent Orientations, or other similar group functions. The middle school declared this an open house, and last year it was in the true sense of the word with leisurely student guided tours of the building and impromptu discussions with the teachers, but instead put on a scheduled orientation with a 30 minute meeting in the auditorium and then an hour+ presentation in the classroom by all the team’s teachers. So when one teacher addressed how makeup work would be done in conjunction with absenses and cited "obviously if they are out for a week having an appendix removed we are going to work with them" I chimed up and asked "so how many times can they use the appendix excuse?" I miss being a student 🙂 My wife feels I’ve lost my mind.

Thanks to Michael’s August Challenge my google ads to the right have turned down right cheery! Currently showing for me are:

"A Positive Attitude Is Everything. Become Positive and Powerful with this Free new system,"
"Feel good about yourself.Surround yourself with positive, Christian people. Learn how."
and
"Why aren’t you happy? The reason’s simplier than you think. Find out the answer at Paul’s tips."

…because the love between my wife and I is so strong that we are frozen in time. It feels like we married only yesterday!

…because my cold doesn’t seem quite so bad.

Robodump

…because i asked that "one good thing happen" to me today and it did. Overall I’m struggling badly today to not be miserable. I’ll turn this around.

My morning mantra during the school year is a tribute to Fred the Baker as I bemoan "time to make the doughnuts." What’s your mantra?

I really need something good to happen to me today.

…because I did those dumb this you gotta do.

…because I watched the exuberance with which my 3 year old gleefully trotted off to her first day of school.

…because I was knocked down with the love of my daughter when she saw me to pick her up from school.

…because she really had a great time in pre-school.

…because my 11 year old is living to her full potential and excelling despite trying to convince me otherwise.

I wish I could record the glee with which Amy floats around the house this morning. I think the camera is in the car else I’d try. She is so excited about her first day of school! These are the moments I am so glad that I am not missing.

If you don’t want to do it with my wife then do it with me.

…because I listened to my 3 year old daughter say "hold on I’m busy" and with my mouth agap as I heard my own words echoed I consciously decided to never be busy again; I will however reserve the right to ask "please allow me a moment to finish my responsibility" and will continue to seek out a succinct phrase that means "I must finish my reasonability so that we can have quality time" which another person of any age would respect.

I would be very pleased to work the phrase "please allow me a moment to use my best judgement" into their minds somehow.