Quitting

I think Allison quit choir tonight.  Since piano had gone so well this past year (Allison has stuck with something for a year!), I had thought that the non-audition girl choir would be a good fit - and it was - for two weeks.  Then she didn't want to go, and last week went very badly.  And then she didn't want to go again and Mom caved. 

Here's the dilemma - I feel that we need to instill in the kids that when they agree to something they need to follow through.  And we'd probably never let Jacob quit something midway through - double standard alert!  But Allison has the power to make everyone miserable if she's forced into something against her will.  Incentives (bribes), consequences (threats), and guilt (guilt) have no affect on her.  And it becomes not just her and me - but her and me and the choir director and all the other girls in choir.  Is it fair to them?

I'm sure there are opinions aplenty about the choices that we (as parents) make and the battles we choose to fight or not.  I recall a recent conversation with another mother about having her kids make the beds and my thought was "well, there's your problem - skip the whole 'making the bed' thing."  We simply don't make the beds because that's a battle with a very high cost to benefit ratio.  I'm sure to many people it's unheard of to not have kids make the beds (or have beds made in general).

The thing with Allison is that most issues have a very high cost to benefit ratio - therefore you have to save your energy for those things that matter more.  It's MORE important to me that she stick with piano than argue about every afterschool activity because she doesn't want to go to choir.  It's MORE important that we get out the door in the morning without tears (mostly) than that the kids make their beds. 

Also, I'm secretly a little tired of running around.  Choir, brownies, piano, soccer practice, soccer games, cub scouts, therapy.  It's possible I saw a small glimmer of freedom appear on Monday afternoons (soon to be the only day without an after-school activity).  I guess if she doesn't want to do it - I'm not going to force this issue.

Jacob Says

Jacob quotes:

Math is just slapping numbers around.

The solar system is like when all the planet gather around the sun because the sun is going to tell them a story.

Huh?

The kids are speaking a new language and I am still in the interpreting phase.  Our conversation on the way home from school:

Mom: What was your favorite thing about school today?
Allison: I got a Berry Buck for Line Basics.
Jacob: I didn't get any Berry Bucks, but I mostly kept my hands in my space and our class earned two Compliments.
Allison: Also, I did three laps on the Bobcat Track for Fit In 15.

Granted, I think there was a parent meeting last week for this program they've implemented at the school that would have provided some background, but I totally blew that off.  I think we had 4 other things going on that night and it was low on the priority list.  So, we'll just have to figure it out, which is challenging because the kids are not good conveyors of information.

Me: What's a Compliment?
Jacob: Something you get for walking in line.
Me: I thought that was Line Basics.
Jacob: No, silly.
Me: Allison, does your class get Compliments?
Allison: No, our class doesn't do Compliments.

Madtown

 

We spent Saturday in Madison - first at the downtown farmer's market.  It's more crowded than I remember (but Appleton's had gotten more crowded the last few years too), and they have some nice stands.  Since we couldn't purchase old favorites like Brunkow cheese - we bought some bread, rolls, maple syrup, and applesauce.

Then it was off to the Badger tailgate party for lunch and into the stadium.  I kept my winning streak alive by scoring serious nosebleed seats. We were actually the last row - but that was OK - we got a nice perspective on the field:

 It was also colder than we expected - as the weather said 61 degrees.  It was kindof windy, and we were a little sheltered with concrete wall behind us.  People were wearing everything from winter hats and gloves (prepared people) to t-shirts and flip flops.  So we were clearly not the only people expecting slightly better weather.  They were not selling hot cocoa anywhere.

 The kids made it through halftime but we left in the third quarter.  Also, it was band day, which I was extremely excited about when I saw the HS bands lined up at the end - but then they never took the field!  They played only from their seats.  Ack!  My favorite part of HS band day at IL was watching the totally un-synchronized baton and flag corp march around the field.  I know - it's mean.  But seriously there is always this one superstar who started baton twirling lessons at aged two doing her own unrelated thing, and then 30 other girls trying desperately to follow the extremely simple routine they were supposed to be doing for the show.  Loved it.

The one thing I will say for Wisconsin football is that their student section is one of the best I've ever seen.  Block I would not stand a chance.  They are singing and doing things almost the whole time.  What I remember most about my time in Block I was standing the whole game and raising cards over my head.  Though happily the kids never heard or asked about the Eat S**t, F**k You chant.

After the same we had Babcock Hal ice cream at the new Union South and then walked (a mile or two) back to our car at the capitol building.  Love college football - even if it's the Badgers and not the Illini.

I Hate Culver's Night

Tonight was Culver's Night for Allison and Jacob's school.  This meant that the PTO got 10% of all sales between 4-7 pm at our local Culver's.  So, let's ponder why I hate Culver's Night.

(1) It forces me to violate my primary rule of eating out, which is "No Fast Food In Appleton."  This rule was created in order to eliminate "Can we go to McDonald's?" every time we passed a McDonald's, which is almost every time we go anywhere.  Now, I'm going to have to field "Can we go to Culver's?" for the next two months.

(2) The kids get pressure.  Allison had "Culver's night tomorrow" and "Culver's night tonight" in her assignment notebook yesterday and today.  Math worksheet (check), totally unhealthy dinner of fried cheese and butterburgers (check).  Jacob came home with a sticker, presumably because he doesn't have an assignment notebook to write in.

(3) It's a friggin zoo.  Every table is full from 4-7, the lines are long (we waited 1/2 hour), and it's LOUD.  This is a recipe for a meltdown for kids who don't process sensory stimuli very well.  Both kids were upset because their friends and teachers weren't there at the same time that we were.  I was upset because I think Culver's decided to trial-by-fire their new fall employees.

(4) The irony factor.  On Monday we received a list of appropriate healthy snacks to send with our children each day.  They include crackers, cheese, pretzels, yogurt, fruit, and veggies.  We are asked not to stray from this list for any reason.  I believe that Culver's does not sell a single solitary item on the approved list. 

(5) Our "contribution" to the PTO came to a whopping $1.80.  Which is oddly both a small bit of money (could I have just given you $2), and the testament that fast food is not always cheap food (I think a healthy meal at home for three people could be well under $18)

I'm sure that I'd rather suffer the night at Culver's than sell $150 worth of wrapping paper (which, ironically would also net the PTO about $1.80) - but seriously, there has got to be a better fundraiser.

Who knew?

All their hidden talents:



The video uploaded a little grainy - it's Jacob in the red shirt.

Back to school

The kids went back to school this week.

I thought I'd post last year's picture first: (2010)


Followed by this year's picture: (2011)


The school certainly looks better landscaped this year. I'll let you spot the other key differences.

Both enjoyed their first week. Allison was happy to be called on to answer a math question on the board. Jacob was happy to be a "grader" this year. Jacob says math is simple but reading is hard. Allison says reading is easy and math is hard. I'm glad they are off to a good start, though.