Back-to-school Shopping
Remember the dreaded back to school shopping trips? Our local stores always had the worst selection of clothing for back-to-school shoppers and you simply couldn’t go to school wearing some old nothing outfit. We knew we were getting the basics for school and grandma tried but her taste in clothing ran in a different neighborhood than mine – probably even in another universe.
Labor Day Holiday
School always began the first Wednesday, following Labor Day. In Michigan, those first two weeks of school, were hot and humid. Officially we weren’t allowed to wear shorts to school but often the Principal would have mercy and suspend the restriction. Students were eternally grateful – of course. Back in those days our air conditioning was called a window – we opened it.
Those first few weeks of school had nothing to do with books or learning, it was all about positioning, finding your friends and learning what’s cool and what’s not. You found your place or were put in it.
Living a Natural Life
I love the fact that my child is learning about the world by being in the world, living a normal, everyday life. What I like to call a natural life. here are no artificial boundaries. After all, when in a persons life are you confined to a group of your age peers? It’s an artificial environment and unless you go on to a career in the military you will never be subjected to such a harsh environment.
Here in the free world my child is free to choose which job he’ll take, who he’ll work with and where he’ll live. It’s a wonderful place to be.
Fundamentals of Baseball
We try to expose our son to as many new things as possible. He joined a Karate group, participates at church and youth group, etc… Recently he’s been receiving private lessons in the fundamentals of baseball from the father of up and coming, New York Yankee’s pitcher, Phil Coke. You’ve never seen a child so happy about getting tired and sweaty.
He’s been stretching, running bases, catching balls… Coach really stresses stretching. My son is pretty stoked about spending time, learning from the coach of his favorite player – Phil Coke. He’s starting to become a real ball fan. It’s wonderful to see him so excited. This is an experience he’ll take him with him for the rest of his life.
Most children have a block of time between the ages of 12 and 13 where they remember the most of their childhood. Be sure to exaggerate the good times during these tough transition years. Make them count.
Take lots of pictures of the kids – buy, rent or borrow a good digital camera. Even if you can’t print them out you can enjoy them on the computer, create a website or print them out as needed. We have a portable printer that works in the car, so when someone says, I want a copy of that – we give them one – then and there.
Let the kids print some off, and create their own scrapbooks. They are wonderful memory keepers. Each time the child shows it off, looks at it or mentions it, those memories come alive all over again, reinforcing those happy memories. We try to take lots of pictures and show them off either by mail or even e-mail.
Hope you are enjoying the end of summer, fall is just around the corner.
~Annette