Oldest

Hey there-

Just a quick update regarding my last post. I thank everyone for their advice and support. This parenting stuff is hard work!

Henry will stay where he is for now. His first choice would be for me to home school him but I believe everyone should stick with their strengths and that is NOT mine. Left to our own devices Henry and I would rarely leave the house and would spend the day either reading, baking,sprouting apple trees from seeds, or Googling the latest Greek God Henry was obsessed with. We might take a break for a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood but I am not sure those activities alone would make for a well rounded child.

Anyway, when it came down to it Henry said he would rather be the oldest.

"I am kind of small, you know, Mom," he told me.

I believe Henry will learn because he wants to learn. Bob's greatest concern would have been that Henry live up to his potential as Bob felt he did not. But that concern seems to be universal amongst parents. Luckily, Henry is rather driven at this point so that is not a concern of mine as of right now.

I will keep you posted and until then....in the words of Nancy McGoldrick, and my current mantra;

I am just doing the best I can.

Thanks for checking in-

Irene

WWBD?

Hey there-

I am having an F-you Bob kind of a week.

That's right, pardon my language, but F-you Bob for leaving me here to raise these boys and make all these decisions without you.

Oh, I can ask family and friends and my husband for advice, but in the end the decisions feel 100% mine. All mine. Which is a blessing and a curse really. My intention was never to be making these decisions without Bob.

The road to where is paved with good intentions?!

Anyway......my latest quandary is regarding Henry and his education.

Long story short: late summer birthday, decision was made (by me) that he be older rather then younger for his grade, very bright, not very social, in a "bad" class, teacher suggests he test to skip a grade.

What!?!?!? I immediately begin to over analyze, because that is what I do best. I recall a recent conversation about super heroes while I was putting the boys to bed. I asked what they would do with their super power. Henry answered immediately that he would make a classroom just for himself.

"Why? " I asked, preparing myself for some awful story of teasing or bullying.

"So then I could hear the teacher and actually learn something."

Oh dear, that is not what I wanted to hear. I mean, I am glad he wants to learn something........

What should I do? I need help.

What would Bob do?

First of all, he would not over analyze everything, he never over analyzed anything. His favorite words to me were; "Relax, don't worry, it will all work out." Maybe it was the scientist in him but he believed in waiting, collecting more information, not jumping to conclusions. That man had patience!

I, on the other hand, love to jump to conclusions, I hate waiting. Patience is not my strongest quality, it might even be my weakest link, right next to organization. I want a decision made and I want to act on it.

So, what will I do with my latest quandary? I will try to channel Bob and "hear" what he has to tell me, I will feel his patience and understanding of who Henry is and what he needs and I will try to honor that.

I will collect more information, I will wait and see.

I will work on patience.

(and Bob, if you are out there, somewhere in the cosmos, sorry for the swearing. But seriously, if you could send me some of your patience it would be greatly appreciated. It is not as if you need it right now, right?)



Thanks for checking in-



Irene