Fore!
“Don’t be so impatient with me,” was my response to an eye roll and sigh of disappointment for my delayed click of the mouse. “I taught you how to eat with a spoon!” I continued, snapping back at my nine year-old. Yes, just a glimpse into my superior (a.k.a embarrassing) parenting skills.
It really is amazing how much my son has learned to this point. I have witnessed him being unable to survive without complete parental support to now navigating though various computer screens researching birthday vacations on his own. From putting his shoes on the wrong feet to now wearing suits. In addition to his fashion, computer and travel skills, I am now talking to his teachers about types of literature and multiple levels of place values he will explore this year. This all after a compliment taken in stride on his sharp appearance.
My soon to be tween is entering the fourth grade and my emotions have shifted from first-day-of-school tears to awe. Instead of crying because he is getting bigger, I’m excited because he has gotten so big. He is a little person with so much ahead of him, I can’t wait to see who he becomes. But before that, watch out, he is headed straight for the fourth grade!
An Ill Advised Education
As a parent, I have learned that every moment is a teaching moment, and as cliché as it is, it’s true.
Right now is back-to-school time and that means shopping. While we were in our second hour of searching for school supplies at the store, things started to get little crazy. Azul was singing and dancing to the brand names of spiral notebooks and I was seeing double. This was shopping insanity, of course surrounded by the ambience of fluorescent lights, screaming babies and confused parents.
Then came this …
“Yoobi!” My third grader sang as he struck a pose, looking right at me. I focused my gaze on him, and to a familiar tune replied, “You be illin’, don, don, don, don, don, don … ricky, ricky, rick!” (Of course emphasizing the last “rick” and air scratching on my air turntable.)
He had no idea what I was talking about (that scenario happens a lot between the two of us and it goes both ways), so with a quick Google search, the volume turned up – the education began. We listened to the music, walked through the store, focussed, no longer hearing the cries of babes.
Education is everywhere, and I truly do believe every child deserves the knowledge of Run DMC. This may become our new back-to-school anthem … (ricky, ricky, rick!)
Meet-The-Teacher Gift: Step Up Your Apple Game
There are a lot of things said about apples:
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
“As American as apple pie.”
“A bad apple.”
“Apple of my eye.”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
And a favorite, especially this time of year, “An apple for the teacher.”
The tradition of giving an apple to the teacher dates back to the frontier days when that was all the payment attainable by parents. Ah, the good old days! But it’s 2016, so let’s up our apple game.
What you need:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Apple
Canning jar
Decorative bag and tag
First, make the homemade caramel dipping sauce. And if you trust your kids stirring the ingredients, let them be part of the process.
Step 1 – Combine sugar, milk and softened butter in a heavy pot.
Step 2 – Turn the heat to medium high and continue stirring until smooth.
Step 3 – Bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes.
Step 4 – Turn off the heat and stir in vanilla.
Step 5 – Pour the caramel into a jar and let cool.
Then place the jar of caramel in the bag, place the apple on top of the jar seal the bag and add a tag.
Your meet the teacher gift is done and your kids will be proud that they helped, under adult supervision of course.
Carmelina Hart 