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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 22 2013 - 06:00 AM
When that tornado siren sounds, I'm in the basement
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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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My oldest claims this about me at times.
I mean, come on, I make him shower everyday. He has to wash his face twice a day and make sure what covers his bottom half always matches what covers the top.
I also push reading a little too much and say no to most video games meant for teens (I know ---gasp!). But now I think I’ve gone too far and actually agree with him that, yes, I'm annoying. I’m getting all current eventy on him. Every day.
Quick, in what state does Joe Biden live? What’s his wife’s name?
While you’re at it, what’s the name of the Governor from Alaska? What sport is her husband king of?
Now you know what life has been like these days for my oldest. I know some of this trivia seems well trivial. But the way I look at it, this past month has been full of history in the making. The Olympics. Election 2008. Maybe Gustav?
And I want him to be able to sit in some McDonalds, maybe with his grandchildren, in 2078 and talk about the ole days -- those days in August 2008 -- when life got pretty down exciting and crazy for awhile. Heck, I want him to punch his chest out with a little pride when he tells people he was there when people did what no one else had done before, or maybe since. (Our toddler will just have one crazy baby book with his mom's ramblings...)
If you’re guessing that I had the oldest watch Michael Phelps win his eighth gold medal, you’re right. He watched with the appropriate amount of interest and amusement, though it wore a little thin when I wanted him to memorize the name of the man (Mark Spitz) whose record Phelps had beat.
This last week I knew he thought I’d really lost it when I picked him and a friend up from football practice.
“Ok. Who can tell me the two men running for president?”
Yes. I’m THAT mom. But, heck, that’s an easy one.
“All right, who did Obama pick as his running mate?”
My son knew he better get this one.
“Joe Baden” Close enough.
And I kept on going.
“Who did McCain pick?” (Yes, at the time, it was a trick question because he was three days away from the announcement.)
“George Bush?” answers his friend.
Close enough.
Two nights later, our family sat around the TV, watching the first African American accept the nomination for president. After about 20 minutes oldest got a pass. It was late and his eyes were shutting anyway. But he soaked in enough.
And come Friday, he was memorizing the names of all five of Sarah Palin’s children. (Bristol trips him up sometimes,though) He also thinks it’s funny that the second woman ever to run for vice president loves a good bowl of moose meat stew.
We’re soaking it all in. Are you? Do you tell your kids they're living through a pretty historic time? Anyone insane like me with all the quizes? I like what one mom said in a thread on Friday about saving all the papers from last week. I’m going to copy that idea.
Because, then, maybe after he sits at McDonald’s with his grandkids in 2078 he can go home and look at these historical moments captured in print. That's why I'm so annoying.
What a great idea to teach your child about these historic moments! I'm going to do the same - I'm already annoying so why not? I love the idea of saving the papers too! Thank you for this great parenting tip!It has been quite a year and it's barely September. I think it's great to see kids get into politics and see just how our country works. ... Just hope history doesn't repeat and New Orleans holds up this time. Maybe history from afar is better than history that hits too close to home.Yeah, I make my kids pay attention, too, although I didn't push the Olympics as much. I was born in 1968, another year full of lots of crazy stuff, and I think about that a lot. This might be a year like that, a year where the world started going in another direction, and I want my kids to realize what's going on. Great blog!Are you kidding? My husband, especially, is big on the dinner-time Social Studies quizzes. :) It amuses me when he asks the boys open-ended questions like, "what happened that was a big, historical deal today?" But it amazes me when one of them can actually come up with the answer! I wonder Laura, as journalists do we do this more than "normal" people?My mother surely wasn't a journalist, but she LOVED to quiz us on world events. She was the mom who came up with all sorts of different chore charts, envelopes, etc., and included in all that was the word-of-the-day and questions on the world. Every car trip included state trivia questions. Ugh. YES, it was annoying, but as an adult--as a mom-- I LOVE that she did that. Of course, I can't remember most of the answers...I've saved all the papers too. I've done it since the girls were little. I have papers on 9/11, JFK Jr death,etc. I haven't quized but I have made sure to tell my girls what a historic election this is.You're almost better off using reverse psychology. Forbid your kids to watch the nightly news or the convention speeches, and they'll be clamoring for it. Seriously, if you just talk about it a lot, they'll get interested in it too.Oh yes, I'm the ultimate quizzer! In fact, every Saturday morning, I put out a $5 Question for each kid. Usually it's surrounding current events (although for DS5 it's more like "Write your name and 10 "F"s). DD15 has to come up with darn good answers to earn her five bucks -- usually has to look answers up online. And I won't let her read it off the computer to me. I make her "absorb" it (AKA: memorize). I think it's seriously important to be up on current events, especially right now.I love the $5 question idea, Jennifer! I may take that page out of your book and run with it. My granddad used to pay us to look stuff up at the library or in encyclopedias--no Internet at that time, so we had to know how to use those resources! I like the "absorption" requirement as well. My DD can tell you everything there possibly is to know about Harry Potter and the "Twilight" series, but I'll bet she can't name McCain's running mate--yet! I'll fix THAT!
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