Hooliganting: The Art of Losing Things: Part 6

Hooliganting: The Art of Losing Things: Part 6: Today was such a peculiar day. Wet and soggy feet plodded their way to school and work, all the while noticing that most other folk were...

The Art of Losing Things: Part 6

Today was such a peculiar day. Wet and soggy feet plodded their way to school and work, all the while noticing that most other folk were plodding along as well. The pouring rain meant that fashionable brollies were parading around the streets. Rubber boots splashed in the puddles. Rain drummed on the roof of my van and I relaxed eventually into my drive into work. This lulled me into a false sense of well being.

In fact, I realized on arriving to work that I had managed to lose my lunch somewhere along the way. Having a head cold means that I need to think about five steps ahead, except I forgot to do that. The kids had great lunches while my bag was deficient. Never mind, I wasn't hungry anyway and had lunch when I returned home.

Homework is the next thing on the agenda on Mondays. I have to gather snack foods, homework utensils and children on my circling way back down town. On the way downtown, we discovered missing pencils, missing books and almost a missing child as the lone boy in the Parental Taxi decided that lego was more fun. However, nothing loathe we got to the dance studio for drop offs and things settled back to normal.

Almost.

I had to take the youngest to Keyano College for her dance class. We had lots of time today, and I was rather pleased with the way the children had settled into homework etc. I even had a mom to keep an eye on the other five while I ran the youngest to her class. Then, I lost all the time I had. Gridlock had invaded downtown, backing up even the parking lot. Weaving in all directions possible to get out of the parking lot, we made it to the college, but had lost all the time I had in hand. Sigh.

Deposited into class, I weaved back into the traffic mire and realized that on Franklin, some truck had lost his horseshoe trailer hitch. It was right in the middle of the road...really?This goes along with the shoes, slippers and other paraphanalia that has been tossed or lost from windows. There were garbage bags with shoes on the road on the highway as well. How do these things just disappear from vehicles?

This still wasn't the pinnacle of the losing things kind of day. No, that waited until the very end. I had already given all the children away to their rides home and had settled into class. It was great and I was looking forward to going home. That was not to be. I searched everywhere for my keys. In all the bag, lockers and office space, shoe racks and benches...no keys. Sighing, I called for back up. Yes, my eldest had taken my keys home with her lovely self, not realizing it.

Standing in the rain, I wandered the parking lot until rescued, and bought an umbrella to have my own stylish one, which I know tomorrow I will lose to my eldest who has to walk to school. Losing things...

It will be funny.

Tomorrow.

Hooliganting: NO SASS CAMPAIGN: part two

Hooliganting: NO SASS CAMPAIGN: part two: My toes are curled. My lips are chapped from biting them. My head has shook so much that it has shaken the sense nearly out of it (And d...

NO SASS CAMPAIGN: part two

My toes are curled. My lips are chapped from biting them. My head has shook so much that it has shaken the sense nearly out of it (And don't you dare at this point in my day suggest that I didn't have any to begin with....it won't bode well for you.) with the headache just brewing behind the temples. Do you remember the NO SASS CAMPAIGN? I wrote about it two years ago or so.... To refresh your memory, here are the rules of the OMG you don't get to be like that EVER also known as the NO SASS CAMPAIGN!

Rules of the No Sass Campaign
1) Thou shalt not taunt, tease or disrespect thy elders, friends or other people near you.
2) Thou shalt apologize at once for any infraction caused to someone else.
3) Thou shalt accept an apology without fuss the FIRST time.
4) Thou shalt not argue with thy parent.
5) Thou shalt accept that if thy parent has not answered you right away, that they have the right to think about their answer. You don't get to ask again.
6)Thou shalt not ask the same question of both parents. Rephrasing is still reasking.
7) Thou shalt accept that other people get to be the boss in games sometimes. If no cooperation ensues, a boss timetable operated by a parent will be enforced.
8) If you are rude and sassy, you will lose privileges. It will always be the best thing that the parent can think of.
 9) Thou shalt accept that parents don't like homework either. The more you complain, the less we like it and the longer it lasts. We will reward quickly completed homework. Bed follows long homework sessions immediately, no exceptions. (This also means no snack).
10) Parents reserve the right to put any other responsible adult in charge who also have the right to implement the above rules.

Qualifier: These rules have ALWAYS existed...we are just tired of repeating the verbal version of this!

These rules are pretty much still in effect. I think we can also add in a couple more. "If you behave abominably, you will be grounded and have no allowance." "If you refuse to deal with matters yourself, a parent will force a mediation session between you and other child to make both sides at least hear the other point of view." "Don't touch someone else's stuff without permission. Understand that an adult always has permission!"

To me, these rules make sense. I am trying to raise two girls in a community of other girls with other like minded parents. We want our children to be respectful, kind, caring and considerate. We all want them to be the best that they can be through their individuality - and you know they are all uniquely individual. Playing in harmony is positive and encouraged while the tantrums and boss situations are neutralized. In fact, I think all the kids in my circles can sing the NO song. "No crying, no whining, no kicking, no scratching, no biting, no licking, no punching, no dusting, no swearing, no looking etc." in whatever order I remember to sing it in while driving around town.

Anyway, despite the rules, the SASS has resurfaced in a lot of the munchkins. In my 10/11 year old circle, I had to resort to a mediation session today. Both kids were complaining about the same issues in each other. After marching my child to sit around the table with other child and her parents, we got to the bottom of things. They complained about each other and then admitted to hurt feelings and by the time 30 minutes had passed we had a truce and they played together for the rest of the afternoon. Success! Finally! It came to that due to a refusal to accept apologies, a refusal to acknowledge the other point of view and a stubborn streak in both.

In the other age group of 8 year old girls, I am starting to wonder what is influencing their speech. They are talking in a sassy tone constantly and are being very forward in their opinions and back talk parenting. None of this is acceptable. It does not occur to mine that I have a darned good reason for asking her to do her piano practice or homework. She just argues and stomps off and then gets annoyed with me for requesting that she comes back. Then I demand. Then I yell. She then rolls her eyes and snarks. Yep. Really makes interactions tough.

We have tried grounding, no electronics, extra reading and physical removal from situations. We have parented as a community to the best of our abilities and yet the stubborn streak is winning in some cases. I already know that I will not cave on my standards for reasonable behavior, so what is next?

I think I have it. OIL OF OREGANO. It is very very good for you and very very spicy. Sigh - or just keep plugging away at the hair pulling, mind numbing, temple throbbing NO SASS CAMPAIGN: IMPROVED VERSION.

This mom is tired, worn out and coldish but I love my girls and their friends unconditionally. So, I am drawn to the old adage: "This too shall pass."

Hooliganting: Viva the Tour of Alberta

Hooliganting: Viva the Tour of Alberta: Cycling is one of my closet passions. Initially, I got into the sport as I needed something to keep me company on the television as I plodde...

Viva the Tour of Alberta

Cycling is one of my closet passions. Initially, I got into the sport as I needed something to keep me company on the television as I plodded through my disseration at university. I love the scenery and the commentary that accompanies the Tour de France and over the years, I have found myself extending into watching some of the other events. I have seen marvelous vistas of Spain and Italy, all the while plotting my next vacations. The more I watched and listened to, the more I began to recognize the players in the sport. When Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro D'Italia, that cemented my interest as to have a Canadian GC contender (General Classification) was pretty awesome at that caliber of race.

Now, to be honest, the whole drug and doping thing had me pondering my interest in the sport. In fact, I was reaching a point where I was watching for the scenery along and the commentary of Phil Ligget. I was so disgusted with all the scandal that I nearly stopped watching. Then Cadel Evans won the Tour and Ryder Hesjedal won and well....I started to hope that the sport was indeed turning out clean winners. Watching Chris Froome this year and well, I really hope....

Then, it happened. I saw the advertisement during the Tour de France that mentioned the Tour of Alberta. What? Really? When? September 3 - 8th? I need to find a way to be involved somehow. I was thrilled with the announcement and began to plot my birthday shennigans around the event. Edmonton was the closest I could find to a venue so I decided to go there to the race start. Imagine my disgust when I realized that the actual race didn't start until the Tuesday that the children had to be back in school; 4.5 hours of driving away.

I still went to the Tour of Alberta Festival on the Monday. Sir Winston Churchill Square had live music, and offered people the chance to bike the Prologue. Next year, maybe I will do that. Instead this year, I loaded up with Tour of Alberta gear, visited all the booths, entered to win a bike (I guess I lost) and went to the press conference. That was really fun as the media interviewed some of the main contenders. Cadel Evans was teasing about the Alberta pot holes, while Peter Sagan when asked if he could outpedal a Grizzly bear looked blankly at the reporter before stating with a shrug "Maybe, I think so, yes!"

After the long ride home, I have contented myself with attempting to watch the race on Television. I have been proud of the tourism plugs that really show off this province I call home. I have loved watching Peter Sagan salute the crowd on his wins, including the rodeo salute today. Irritation struck as the whole race on Sports Net picked up the prologue but nothing else, until you realized that they were calling every stage the prologue and had their times wrong. So, I missed Cadel Evans in a break. However, in watching and seeing the impact of the crosswinds and the surprises in a race that was supposed to be straightforward with the lack of a true mountain stage, I have to say that I have been enthralled with this race. I hope that next year, it will be easier to see some of it in person.

To the cyclists: thank you for coming.
To the race organizers: I want to participate. Find some mountains - we have the Rockies!!
To the world: check out Alberta. This province is really stunning!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThFCg0tBDck

Alberta on Dwellable