Posts Tagged ‘parenting’

Obsolete

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Ever since my son started kindergarten, weíve lived in that hazy area that was too close to qualify for the school bus, but really too far for a kid to walk. Since my husband leaves for work very early, Iíve been the one responsible for taxi duty twice a day, five times a week, for the past fourteen years.†

Oh, there was the odd carpool here and there, and for two years my son could drive his younger sister on some days. But with their different schedules I was still driving at least several times a week. This year, with him away at college, Iíve been back on full-time duty.

Until now.

My daughter got her driverís license last week. Now she can drive herself the three miles to school every day. And Iím not sure how I feel about that. Part of me is rubbing my hands in glee, plotting what to do with those precious extra minutes I suddenly have in my day. But another part is feeling a bit obsolete.

Something tells me Iíd better get used to that feeling.

Eating Soup with A Fork

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

My son is a tweener; and his favorite after school snack is Ramen noodles. He steeps them carefully in a bowl of boiling water under a saucer, then eats them with a fork, with† much slurping and flipping around of bits of noodles and sauce.

(Yes-- I have had to chisel them off the armchair and the floor by the tv.)

Yesterday, I said,† "Logan, please find a soup spoon." He replied, "Mom, what's the big deal? People in China eat them with sticks!"

He's right, of course. In approaching any problem or task, it is really a matter of personal choice which tool or utensil one uses. But as† a mother, I thought I knew best. Being a parent of older kids has taught me that everything† I say is up for question, debate, resistance, even ridicule. It's their individuation process.

I might not like how he eats his noodles but experience has taught me that he has a reason that makes sense to him. So,† I asked him why he eats them with a fork.

Guess what he said?

"Mom, its because the water is boiling hot and if I wind the noodles around a fork, I can eat them quickly while the juice is cooling down."

So, there. All I have to do now is consider how† to convince him to slow down when he eats. Til then, I have the consolation of knowing that at least he can cook something that will keep him from starvation.

As a graduate student, I lived on Ramen noodles.† But I ate mine with a spoon, slowly.