Today the groans were audible from my bedroom. First day of term upsets me more than the boys. Back to the usual routines, which for me are memorable, but alas routines for the boys are not so entrenched. The Short One will stand there in nothing but his undies and declare that he 'doesn't know what he has to do!' I of course reply, 'are you planning on going to school in the nude?' Yes we have been doing the same thing for many years. Yes I have visual schedules. But the Short One will not use it because there is one thing on the list which he doesn't do any more. The visual schedule is laminated for heaven's sake and he wants me to just get rid instead of just missing out the steps he doesn't need to take. Long Legs is much more independent these days but if left to his own devices completely, he would have lost all his teeth years ago as he fails every day to see the importance of cleaning his teeth.
The Short One had his first senior cross-country today, a proper run around the school course. In true cross-country style, it had been raining the night before so there was plenty of mud to trudge through. I always thought the Short One would have my capacity for running, think Phoebe running in Friends with her legs going everywhere. He has consistently got faster every year and he may well do the same as his brother and get better every year. Long Legs made the top 3 only when he was Grade 6 and this year in Grade 7 he came first. The Short One today was in the top 10 but I was too busy shouting at the top of my lungs (I learned from best when it comes to being the most embarrassing mother at sports events - my own mother) to actually count how many were in front of him.
I always feel a little bereft when they are back at school and I need a day or so to remember what to do when they are not here. But before I knew it, it was time to pick them up and head off to see Long Legs' psych. She is a fabulous woman who really knows how to talk to tweenage boys. Long Legs always rolls his eyes and moans that he has to go but he always has a grown up talk with her and they both come out laughing. She spoke to me today about the fact that he loves learning 'hands on' and suggested we start incorporating learning social skills and increasing his confidence in a practical setting. I mentioned how I had just started taking him to the go-kart track for those very reasons and intended to make it a regular thing and I could tell without her saying it that she thought I was a genius ha ha! So I handed over my credit card for $250 feeling proud of myself and backed up in my choice of 'therapy' which as I said the other day, could look to an untrained eye as a luxury. After today, a trip to the go-kart track looks positively cheap. Today's costs are $270. Til tomorrow x
No comments:
Post a Comment