Ok, I know that the usual line is that technology is killing communication. Emailing replacing phone calls makes us lack human contact and texting is making us all speak in short sentences. And, worse, twittering and the like is making us use fake words with made-up spellings.
But at our house I think that it might be the opposite. I've often said that I get more information out of Tanner via text than I ever would verbally. He has grown out of the silent phase for the most part but he is still a very quiet guy. Having the kids with cell phones is the BEST thing ever. Well, second best actually. Having a kid that drives is the BEST thing ever. But the phone thing... There is almost never a school day when I don't hear from Chloe via text during the day. The boys are less likely to text me but the do if they need something. I can hear from them while at school, sports, friends houses, sleepovers, church activities. Usually if they are having a sleepover they text me goodnight. Isn't that cute? And useful - "I'm done" "Practice is over" "Practice is cancelled" and my personal favorite "I'm here, come out and get in the car." (that one is from me to them)
The high school kids started a new term this week which means they started four new classes. Chloe decided-immediately-that she needed to change her PE class. So she started texting me. And continued throughout the day. Then she came home and got on facebook. Where she promptly wrote on my wall "Mom. PLEASE CALL THEM AND CHANGE MY CLASS. PLEASE, PLEEEEAAASEE." Really, our house isn't that big. And I guess that I could think that she didn't want to talk to me but that's not really the case.
Tonight we went to a parent meeting for the girl's soccer at the high school. She was sitting behind me and I wanted to ask her something and talk to her about someone that she had previously played with. Didn't seem like the time for a chat so...I texted her. Patience has never been one of my virtues.
Last time Chase stayed home sick from school, he relayed this. Keep in mind that Tanner and Chase have a door that goes between their rooms. Chase said to me "Tanner woke me up this morning, like he always does, by banging on the door between our rooms. I wasn't going to get up so I texted him and told him that I was sick." I'm sorry but that is HILARIOUS. His bed is maybe 3 feet from the door. Tanner bangs on the door to wake him up? And then instead of saying outloud "I'm sick" Chase texts him in the next room!
Maybe we are all loosing out on some kinds of communication but I think we're going to be ok. Chloe said to me the other day "I hate it when people spell words wrong on facebook." Yep. We may spend a lot of time on electronics but - hey, electronically communicating with your teenagers is better than no communication at all, right?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
I am not a superwoman.
Please stop calling me a superwoman. I'm not. I'm not a superwoman or a supermom. I have no superhuman qualities of any kind.
The first posts in the online classroom forums are inevitably the "introduce yourself" posts. This last week I posted my 'about me' in the appropriate place for each of my three classes. I got my bachelor's mostly online from CSU, Chico. I am, and always have been, a history geek. I go to school online mainly so I can continue to care for my five kids. I'm taking 3 classes this semester, the same as I took last semester. And so the inevitable responses came as well. How do you do it? How can you take that many classes? Do you ever sleep? And the usual: FIVE? Wowsers. Wow. Amazing. That's a lot.
So, first I wonder how many of those wows actually mean "holy crap?! what can they be thinking having that many kids?" I'm pretty sure that the one asking if my four year old was a 'surprise' because of the large gap in ages wasn't thinking all five were a good idea. Keep in mind that I've never actually met any of these people. Anyway, I'll get to the point. I respond with polite answers. Yes, I'm busy. No, I don't sleep enough. For those who are starting out in the online learning environment I offer help if they need any. For the one that just got engaged and the one that is about to have a baby-congratulations.
Here are the questions that I don't know how to answer. "How are you able to take three classes? I'm still trying to finish the two that I took!" and "How to you juggle all of the kids, household stuff and classes? I only have one kid & one class and can barely do it!" Now, I'm flattered. But human, not superhuman as implied. Should I have said "I can do everything better than you - clearly - since you didn't even finish two of the same three that I finished last semester. Or maybe "You know, it's easy. I'm brilliant." It's just a weird feeling. So I'm here to set the record straight.
I make trade-offs. I don't go to sleep when I should. I missed most of Christmas - either because I was working on school or because I was in a fog from working on school. My house went to hell several times. I screamed at people a couple of times when I shouldn't have. And a couple of times when they totally deserved it. The kids ate more cereal than ever for dinner during the last month or so. Unlike other "good" moms that I know, my poor neglected kids had to make their own lunches for school and tend their little brother.
Most importantly, I had some other grown ups who knew that I was going to loose my mind step in and deal with things that I couldn't do. I know a Mom who has a lot of kids who gets up at 4am every day and makes seven lunches for her kids. I know a Mom who homeschools 5 kids and has been homeschooling for 13 years. I know a Mom who does everything with her kids because her husband works a million hours a week. I know PTC presidents, soccer team managers, working moms, stay at home moms, divorced moms, single moms. Every single one of us does something that the rest of us look at as a WOW. And every single one of us has something that we just CAN'T handle. The cool thing is that we don't all have the same WOW abilities or the same CAN'Ts. We get to have a circle of friends and family to fill in the gaps. And it's a darn good thing because I'm really not a superwoman- no matter what the rumors say.
The first posts in the online classroom forums are inevitably the "introduce yourself" posts. This last week I posted my 'about me' in the appropriate place for each of my three classes. I got my bachelor's mostly online from CSU, Chico. I am, and always have been, a history geek. I go to school online mainly so I can continue to care for my five kids. I'm taking 3 classes this semester, the same as I took last semester. And so the inevitable responses came as well. How do you do it? How can you take that many classes? Do you ever sleep? And the usual: FIVE? Wowsers. Wow. Amazing. That's a lot.
So, first I wonder how many of those wows actually mean "holy crap?! what can they be thinking having that many kids?" I'm pretty sure that the one asking if my four year old was a 'surprise' because of the large gap in ages wasn't thinking all five were a good idea. Keep in mind that I've never actually met any of these people. Anyway, I'll get to the point. I respond with polite answers. Yes, I'm busy. No, I don't sleep enough. For those who are starting out in the online learning environment I offer help if they need any. For the one that just got engaged and the one that is about to have a baby-congratulations.
Here are the questions that I don't know how to answer. "How are you able to take three classes? I'm still trying to finish the two that I took!" and "How to you juggle all of the kids, household stuff and classes? I only have one kid & one class and can barely do it!" Now, I'm flattered. But human, not superhuman as implied. Should I have said "I can do everything better than you - clearly - since you didn't even finish two of the same three that I finished last semester. Or maybe "You know, it's easy. I'm brilliant." It's just a weird feeling. So I'm here to set the record straight.
I make trade-offs. I don't go to sleep when I should. I missed most of Christmas - either because I was working on school or because I was in a fog from working on school. My house went to hell several times. I screamed at people a couple of times when I shouldn't have. And a couple of times when they totally deserved it. The kids ate more cereal than ever for dinner during the last month or so. Unlike other "good" moms that I know, my poor neglected kids had to make their own lunches for school and tend their little brother.
Most importantly, I had some other grown ups who knew that I was going to loose my mind step in and deal with things that I couldn't do. I know a Mom who has a lot of kids who gets up at 4am every day and makes seven lunches for her kids. I know a Mom who homeschools 5 kids and has been homeschooling for 13 years. I know a Mom who does everything with her kids because her husband works a million hours a week. I know PTC presidents, soccer team managers, working moms, stay at home moms, divorced moms, single moms. Every single one of us does something that the rest of us look at as a WOW. And every single one of us has something that we just CAN'T handle. The cool thing is that we don't all have the same WOW abilities or the same CAN'Ts. We get to have a circle of friends and family to fill in the gaps. And it's a darn good thing because I'm really not a superwoman- no matter what the rumors say.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Holiday is over.
Chase came upstairs a few hours ago and asked what time it was. 5:15. "5:15?!" Uh, ya, 5:15, why? "Only 4 more hours of vacation!" Yes, it's true. The holiday is now officially over for everyone. While Kaleb and Tate went back to school last week, the high school kids go back to school tomorrow. Chase also asked, as the evening came to a close, "Does seminary start tomorrow too?" Oh, it just piles up! Not only do they have to go back to school, they have to go back to seminary, too!
My holiday was totally overshadowed by school. With one semester ending on December 26th and the next beginning on January 3rd, there wasn't much 'down' time. The new semester for me is now in full swing and it's time to begin buying school supplies for the high school's new semester, too. In the last two days, I've done 10 loads of laundry, 3 school assignments, made a new chore chart for January, made 2 dinners, attended a soccer game (in freezing fog), taught Sunday school, made a grocery & school supply list.... Yes, the holidays are over.
Just a look back, though. We had a pretty mellow Christmas with our family and friends. We celebrated Nate's choice to serve a mission and sent him on his way to learn Portugese so he can serve in Brazil. We spent several days in Tahoe where the kids ran wild with the cousins. Jake took the kids snowboarding. I'm sure I'm forgetting some fun things that happened. That's because I was in a fog caused by writing research papers in the middle of the night.
And now, it's January. All schools are back in session as of tomorrow morning with all the great things that go with it like homework, science projects and sports practices. Hoping that I'll feel like we're moving forward and not like a hamster on a wheel - running and running without getting anywhere.
My holiday was totally overshadowed by school. With one semester ending on December 26th and the next beginning on January 3rd, there wasn't much 'down' time. The new semester for me is now in full swing and it's time to begin buying school supplies for the high school's new semester, too. In the last two days, I've done 10 loads of laundry, 3 school assignments, made a new chore chart for January, made 2 dinners, attended a soccer game (in freezing fog), taught Sunday school, made a grocery & school supply list.... Yes, the holidays are over.
Just a look back, though. We had a pretty mellow Christmas with our family and friends. We celebrated Nate's choice to serve a mission and sent him on his way to learn Portugese so he can serve in Brazil. We spent several days in Tahoe where the kids ran wild with the cousins. Jake took the kids snowboarding. I'm sure I'm forgetting some fun things that happened. That's because I was in a fog caused by writing research papers in the middle of the night.
And now, it's January. All schools are back in session as of tomorrow morning with all the great things that go with it like homework, science projects and sports practices. Hoping that I'll feel like we're moving forward and not like a hamster on a wheel - running and running without getting anywhere.
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