The "S" word

I was out to dinner the other night with a group of colleagues and students that Chris works with.  A student had successfully defended his thesis and the gang was out celebrating (sometimes being the "spousal appendage" gets you a free meal and a cold beer!).  There is just something about the ability to have adult conversation once in a while that makes me enjoy the company--even if the discussion often centers around rocks of various types.  Anyway, there are usually other non-geology spouses to talk to and one in particular often asks me about my kids and homeschooling and such.  And, often, the conversation turns to that annoying (oh-so-annoying!!) word, socialization.  I mean, seriously [person I'm talking about], you know my kids, you have hung out with my kids, you have often commented on how wonderful my kids are!  Why are you so hung up on their supposed lack of socialization??  Can I just tell you how ANNOYING it is to homeschool and hear that word every place you go??  (Sorry, I'm just venting right now!)  Let it go, people!  Let it go!  There is not a homeschooling family in the country that hasn't heard this a million times.  We obviously think about it and we are aware of what kinds of socialization needs our kids have.  And even if you think we aren't thinking about it, it isn't your business.  Just so you know.  Yes, you know someone who knows someone who has a kid who is very "strange" and just not properly "socialized."  Great.  There are a million reasons that kid could be different--and none of them are up for debate or need to be discussed.  That kid does not need your judgement!  Know what?  Odds are that kid is pretty happy.  Different? Yes.  Doesn't fit into your mold?  Probably not.  But happy...truly, deep down, happy with who they are.  Case closed.

Another annoying email....

My health insurance company sends me weekly emails designed to encourage me to be healthy.  Usually it includes statistics about smoking or cancer or how exercise is important or ideas for improving my diet and/or controlling my blood sugar.  I often ignore these as they rarely have anything to do with me, but today's headline was about bedtime struggles with kids.  Here was one of the "tips" for getting kids to sleep:
___________________

See that your child is active. Aim for 60 minutes of daily activity, but if that sounds overwhelming, start small -- maybe 15 minutes. Outside playtime during the day is ideal.

___________________

Does that make anyone else physically ill???  I can't even fathom my children getting ONLY 60 minutes of active time a day, never mind 15 MINUTES!!  No wonder we have such an obesity epidemic in this country!  It is SUMMER--your children SHOULD be OUTSIDE for MOST of the DAY!  Heck, it is pouring rain right now and my kids are outside!  I would be too, if I didn't have to do the dishes and laundry while the baby was sleeping (shh...I recognize I'm blogging and not doing either of those right now...but still!)

It just makes me mad that kids don't play outside anymore and that as a general rule, we should be "aiming" for 60 minutes a day.  Along with those plastic toddler stationary bikes that your kid rides while watching TV, this is the kind of thing that just gets me fuming.

But I'll stop now!

Sigh

Someday I'm hoping for more than 10 minutes to myself so I can blog again...stay tuned.

Father's Day!

The picture is old but the message is clear...my kids are the luckiest kids in the world!

Happy Father's Day to the man who makes it all possible.

We love you!