How do YOU know what to do as a parent?

Today....was a bad day for my parenting skills.

Sophie ditched a class...zero period. I have been watching her try to get away with it for days. So, Sunday night when she told me....there was no zero period today. All I could think was...here we go.
I decided I would let her hang herself.

That was hard.

I let Hubby go to work and told him...I would not drive her, she could ride the bus. She panicked and confessed about 1/2 hour before she needed to leave for school to NOT miss zero period. She has a lame excuse. I stick to my guns.

Drama....drama.

I hear from her that she is a good girl and good girls don't serve detention for unexcused absences. But, good girls make mistakes. The screams...the crying.

I told her I would have to think about it....but, more than likely...she is serving a detention and facing the consequences for her actions.

I struggled with the decision.

Growing up I never had a curfew. I had to hire babysitters so that I could go out because Mom was never around. The only time she gave a crap about when I didn't go to school was because the school was giving her a bad time not because she gave a crap. She just wanted to be left alone with what she was doing.

Grades were never cared about...except when they could be used to hurt someone else. As long as I stayed out of her way, gave her the life she needed, took care of her son...I was free. This is when she was single.

When she was married to the molester...going to school and grades were cared about. I had to be available to him at school...so he could swoop in and pick me up for a little afternoon delight and grades...because for some reason he really wanted me to work at Winchell's Donuts...graveyard shift. I am sure it had to do with my time that would be available for him.

I was a good kid...who saw way too much growing up. I knew hookers by name. I had a friend die at a party when I was 14. I. was a good girl. But, I did bad things to get away from bad parents. A Mom that could care less and step-Dad's who was my boyfriend.

Mom would ask about what Step-Dad did with me...she knew and could care less. I did what I did because Mom and my brother were threatened if I did not comply.

So, parenting a 15 year old good girl...was like starting to read War & Peace on chapter 34. I know nothing.

Today, I spend the day searching for the answer on what to do. Knowing that whatever decision I made would be judged because....they always are. II spent the beginning of Sophie's life being told what a terrible mother I was by my family. I finally found the courage to cut them from my life.

So, as a parent....I get a problem and have to solve it. Like with any problem...you have a reference point. I start at chapter 34. Then I start backwards...trying to make heads of tails long the way. Sometimes I feel like I speak French in a land where they only speak numbers.

I spent the day researching parenting advise online. I texted my therapist but she must have been busy. I spoke to several teachers today...asking their advise. I HATE being in situation where I know....I am lost and stupid. I have no skills at being a Mom yet...I am a Mom every day! I don't have someone that will just step in and do it for me. I don't have anyone to ask...hey, what should I do? How do I handle a ditched class? Is natural consequences enough for the 1st offense? What is the right decision?

Damn...today....hell, the last several weeks have sucked!

random things that pop in my head

• 5 days until scrapbook retreat
• the back of my tongue has hurt for 2 days....and I feel like crap
• started packing for retreat today
• had to go to WalMart to buy a new tote/bin for packing in
• during the summer it got used as a small pool
• I can see my desk....the actual wood looking part!
• it's been months since I have seen it
• I got 2 new pair of glasses this past week
• 1 for seeing
• 1 for reading
• bifocals suck when you read & do the computer all the time
• I am so ready for Summer to end...I hate the heat
• since I don't feel good I put on my ugly flannels night gown
• now I am hot!
• and not in a good way!
• got Sophie's STAR test in the mail today
• super advanced in English
• Geometry....think she missed a key lesson...just basic
• I was lucky to pass Geometry with a D+
• looking for a tutor to help her figure out what key lesson she missed
• she is stressing about it
• I wish she was not a perfectionist like me
• if she didn't want to go into medicine...I would say screw it
• I so wish she was not an overacheiver!
• she is WAY too much like me!
• makes me miss David
• he would have been such a good influence on her
• 14 1/2 years he has been gone
• how can you miss someone so long that you have missed longer than you have known them
• same can be said about Ginny
• I hope they are watching over us
• I made a promise to myself and my therapist
• October is dealing with shit month!

Challenge Day

So, this past 2 weeks have been extremely busy!  

1. Getting kids back to school and on a school schedule.
2. Getting our PTO ready for the year, as President...this is a very big job!
3. Giving 2 Back to School speeches to parents of our school...getting them excited to participate.
4. Compiling our list of school volunteers...and doing it backwards so it made the job harder.
5. Making sure all board members know their jobs and are comfortable in their job.
6. Greeting new parents and old parents making sure they know I am approachable and want their help.
7. Starting up 2 new direct sale companies...hoping to make some money.
8. Dealing with school pictures, school yearbook ordering while it is cheaper...and scheduling to work one of them for the elementary school and getting to work with a cool parent!
9. Helping a new principal to get settled into our school.  He is awesome!
10. and I know there is more....but today....I am going to talk about our school's Challenge Day!

Do you know about Challenge Day?  Our school has participated in Challenge Day for the past several years.  I have wanted to participate in it but never was able to.  Either because my son was too younger and it was too long for him to be at a babysitters.  Or my daughter was doing the program and I was not a good person to be there with her.  So, this year...it all worked so I could go and volunteer!

Challenge Day says this on their website -

our vision

Our vision is that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated.

our mission

The Challenge Day mission is to provide youth and their communities with experiential programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth, and full expression.

Being involved with Challenge Day was amazing!  We had 100 students at our school...8th graders and some 7th graders and 26 adult volunteers go thru this program.

If you ever get an opportunity to participate...please do. 

It makes you not feel so alone.  You see that others are going thru their own troubles...just like you.  It makes you think about what is important and what is NOT.  If you have made some positive changes in your life...it validates them.

In one day...less than 6 hours...I danced, cheered, screamed, laughed, cried, shouted, gave love, gave a million hugs, held people, connected with other adults and children, became a better person.

At the end of the session..we were asked to write a letter to someone that we wanted to talk to.  I wrote a letter to my Mom.  My Mom is not dead.  My Mom lives about 1 mile from me...really!  But, I have not spoken to her in 3 years because she choose to believe her husband over me.  I chose my children's safety over her.  We don't speak.

But, I miss my Mom.  She was not a good Mom.  She was not the worst Mom either.  She was just a Mom that made choices that were not good for me and my life and my children's lives.  She did not have a good childhood either and did the best she could....she told me that my whole life!  But, even as an adult...she still chose to make choices that were dangerous to my soul and to deny things that were obvious and pretend that I was crazy.

I wrote this letter to her during Challenge Day.

I will forever be changed by Challenge Day!