•6:06 PM
Oh No! I am at it again. I do this every time my life slows down a little bit. Every time that I am not overwhelmed with the immediate activities and tasks around me. Every time I have a little breather. Yes, I create my own whirlwinds in my mind. That is, I begin to worry about the future. Every little single detail of it.
NEWS FLASH: We interrupt this blog post to view the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour from our front yard. Actually, I was so busy blogging that we kind of missed it, only hearing the rumble from inside our house. By the time we ran outside, it was a done deal, with too many clouds to get a decent view. Thankfully it finally launched, after this being the sixth attempt, thanks to our wonderful Central Florida summer thunderstorms!
Anyhow, back to what I was saying. It is during these times that I try to plan out my kids' lives. You know, everything from what activities they will be signed up for this fall to where they will be going to college. And along the way, I took detours into high school homeschooling options, their requirements and expenses, scholarship opportunities, academic requirements and prerequisites, math placement in Calvert, financial aid and strategies to get the most of it, local symphony orchestra participation, virtual school options for highs school courses, yadda yadda yadda.
All I can say is.... my poor husband. He patiently listened to me plan our kids' entire lives for the next 16 years, and never once did he say "Chill out, they're only in first and fourth grade!" He would be trying to talk to me about the evening's supper options, while meanwhile I would be talking about a website describing admissions requirements for the college of my choice (at the moment). You see, I create these whirlwinds of my own, and the internet just feeds into it. I can be such a restless soul sometimes. I can't help myself.
I think I have returned to earth now. It is summer of 2009, and my kids are 6 and 9. Let me remind myself to take one year at a time.
Sigh....
NEWS FLASH: We interrupt this blog post to view the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour from our front yard. Actually, I was so busy blogging that we kind of missed it, only hearing the rumble from inside our house. By the time we ran outside, it was a done deal, with too many clouds to get a decent view. Thankfully it finally launched, after this being the sixth attempt, thanks to our wonderful Central Florida summer thunderstorms!
Anyhow, back to what I was saying. It is during these times that I try to plan out my kids' lives. You know, everything from what activities they will be signed up for this fall to where they will be going to college. And along the way, I took detours into high school homeschooling options, their requirements and expenses, scholarship opportunities, academic requirements and prerequisites, math placement in Calvert, financial aid and strategies to get the most of it, local symphony orchestra participation, virtual school options for highs school courses, yadda yadda yadda.
All I can say is.... my poor husband. He patiently listened to me plan our kids' entire lives for the next 16 years, and never once did he say "Chill out, they're only in first and fourth grade!" He would be trying to talk to me about the evening's supper options, while meanwhile I would be talking about a website describing admissions requirements for the college of my choice (at the moment). You see, I create these whirlwinds of my own, and the internet just feeds into it. I can be such a restless soul sometimes. I can't help myself.
I think I have returned to earth now. It is summer of 2009, and my kids are 6 and 9. Let me remind myself to take one year at a time.
Sigh....
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6 comments:
We watched the launch online--not nearly as cool as being able to see it from your own back yard!
As for planning...I think we mom's really can't help it. My kids are even younger than yours--the oldest hasn't even hit her 6th birthday yet--and I'm planning out all the way through highschool, with occasional ventures into the realm of college and, while I'm at it, daydreams of pairing my kids up with my friend's kids in visions of harmonious matrimony and potential grandkids for me!
Oh wait, I'd better get back to the business of raising the kids first ;-)
I think we all get caught up in those cycles of thinking too far ahead. The best advice I can give you as a mother of a 22 year old and a 19 year old.....don't bother! haha God has a path for them, and they have to find it. The path for my 2 has changed or tweaked so many times just since they reached high school age, that I can't keep count. LOL. It would be great if we could have it nice and neatly planned ahead, but then God wouldn't have a job! : )
I know how you feel, though! I still do it sometimes.
How amazing to be so close to the Shuttle launch site - just to hear it would be enough for me!
I can relate to your planning compulsion. I've done this all the way through my children's school years, tho with an 18 year old and a 15 year old I'm realising at last that they will take their own direction in life. But setting them on the right road, or rather making sure that they have as many possibilities open to them as possible, is essential in the early years. The trick is to realise when to step back.
One thing which helped me do this in general was having to detach myself from their Suzuki music, as they moved to independent practice and to having lessons without my presence. But it was still hard! When you've been so closely involved it takes quite a mental and emotional readjustment. And since they're at school I don't have the very detailed involvement that you must have in homeschooling. If your children are anything like mine, however, they'll be able to tell you when they want you to step back.
I just had to laugh when I read this. I could have written it myself.My kids are a little older than yours but really I do feel the need to plan it all out. I just love brainstorming these things and I make no apologies. LOL
Oh friend, how we all can relate! Thank you for your refreshing honesty. I love my rabbit trails in the day that lead me to your every insightful blogging moments. Hope we can reconnect sometime.
Oh dear friend. How we all can relate! I enjoy my rabbit trail in the day that lead me to your insightful blogging moments. Hope we can reconnect soon.