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Do you remember mowing the lawn as a kid?

I certainly do…I thought it was fun.  It was hard work, but there was such a sense of accomplishment that came from seeing those lawn mower lines.

My tween is now 7 1/2 and just mowed the lawn for the first time.  My husband does most of the outside work, so I never even thought about letting Lincoln give it a try.  I was inside making dinner and stepped outside to check on things…this is what I saw.  My tween, cutting the grass for the first time.  It shocked me a little to think that he was old enough for that responsibility.  Man, he has grown up so fast.

Sometimes, as I drive around, I see teenagers cutting the lawn and listening to their ipods.  It makes me so happy to see that…!  I think it is important for kids to pull their weight in the home.  I have slacked in this area lately and it is something I am working on doing a better job with my kiddos.

Now my tween is officially old enough to cut the lawn…is it also time to step up his responsibilities a little bit more?  Should I start teaching him to do his own laundry and be responsible for making dinner for the family?  Maybe I should…!!  As a parent, we want to raise independent children who can function on their own in society as responsible adults.

Maybe the time has come…today he is cutting the lawn and tomorrow…he will be heading off to college (kidding)…..they just grow up to darn fast!!!

What are some of the chores you have your tween doing?

My tweens first Open House for 1st Grade, 2007

The day has arrived where children will be discovering who their teachers are and what class they have been assigned to.  They will meet the teacher, discover who their classmates will be for the next year and see their classrooms.  This is not only a big day for children, but for families.  It is the reality that our children are going back to school within days.  Family schedules are changing, summer has officially ended and it is the milestone of the many changes our tweens and children will be facing in the upcoming year.  So, how to we make this a positive experience?

1. Be on time and plan accordingly to give your tween and other children ample time to ask questions, explore their new environment and meet their teacher.  For tweens, it’s especially important to allow time to say Hi to former friends and or former teachers.

2.  Attend as a family if possible.  Fathers often do not get to be as involved with their tweens’ and childrens’ education so events like Open House are great for letting Dad get a taste of the school, teachers, etc.

3. Take a picture of your tweens desk and classroom and child with their teacher.  Many changes happen during the school year and it is often great to remind them pictorially how they have changed.

4.  Make sure that any questions you have are answered.  Teachers are often bombarded with parents and allowing time for lulls in classrooms during the Open House can ensure that you get a feel for the school and get your answers.

5.  Be patient.  Use the time the teacher is busy with others to talk with your tween about how they are feeling.  Are they nervous?  What do they like about their new classroom?  What are they most looking forward to on their schedule?

6.  Remember we are dealing with tweens….let them lead the situation a little more than is comfortable for us.  They don’t want to appear as a “baby” in front of their peers.

7.  Have fun and celebrate as a family afterward.  Make this a reason to have fun, create memories and start this school year off on a positive note!

How do you handle teacher meet-n-greets and open houses?  Any advice?

As the new school year approaches, parents and children planning their “back-to-school” lists are urged to keep backpack safety in mind.

Each year, about 6,000 children in the United States experience backpack-related injuries, Linda Rhodes, an occupational therapist at MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center in Augusta, Ga., explained in a news release from the medical center.

In an effort to cut down on the number of these injuries, Rhodes offers parents the following backpack safety advice:

• Choose a lightweight backpack that doesn’t add too much to your child’s load. The pack should have two wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back that will improve comfort and protect your child from being poked by the sharp points and edges of pencils, pens, rulers and other objects they need to carry.
• Select the proper size backpack for your child. It should cover no more than three-quarters of the length of your child’s back.
• Load backpacks carefully. The maximum weight of a loaded pack should not be more than 15 percent of a child’s body weight. Place the heaviest books closest to the back as they require the most body support. If a child has to lean forward to carry a pack, it’s too heavy.
• Have your child wear the pack correctly. He or she should use both shoulder straps. Carrying a backpack on one shoulder puts too much strain on one side of the upper body. The straps should be snug, but not too tight. If a backpack has a waist strap, use it to help better support the load.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about backpack safety.

As a mother I wish for super powers on a daily basis.  The day will dictate whether I wish I was Octomom with 8 arms or Clone Mom.  With 3 children at varying ages of development I find myself constantly trying to please and meet every-one’s needs, plus my husband and my own.  This is a battle I think as mothers we all face.  If I had multiple arms I could reach and get everything everyone in the car wanted  and not have to hear yelling.  If I had clones I could be everywhere I needed to be on time without having to hire babysitters or have friends help me.

This past week has been a reality check as 3 out of 5 days I had to pay a sitter to help sit with my tween at her swim lessons while my son and daughter and I attended to important tests and doctors appointments.  I was over-scheduled with everyone else’s schedules and I’m falling behind in what I need to be doing as well.  Motherhood is very fulfilling for me and I know we are blessed with higher strength to accomplish what we do, but it does not eliminate burnout or exhaustion.  This week I realized how important friends can be for moms.  If it hadn’t have been for phone calls, emails, letters, etc and mostly from out of state friends, I wouldn’t have survived this past week.  Thank you.

Motherhood has taught me how fragile and weak I am and how I need to reach out for help more willing.  We are off on our only family vacation for the year and wishing I had some major superpowers to get everything done.  Alas, I am super weak and barely functioning, but at least I won the war and can still call myself a mom.

What would you wish for…multiple arms or a clone?

Can you hear the drums, can you feel your heart beat quicken…..can you hear the screaming fans??  That is right, college football is on the horizon.  As I have said before, we are hard core Florida Gator fans!!  We love college football season…we live for it!!

What will college football bring to my tween this year?  Hmmm, I would definitely say….lots of nail biting and tv yelling, lots of yummy football food, lots of family time, lots of orange and BLUE…but a little less Tim Tebow.

I know we aren’t alone in our love for college football.  We have dear friends who are Tennessee fans, LSU fans and even a fellow Mom Talk blogger, Kelly Gump who is a Ohio State fan.  College football brings people together.  Not only that, but it makes my tween so HAPPY!!  He lives for college football season.  I think it is up there as one of his favorite things to do.  I love that he loves it and that it is a family affair.

I better get cracking on some fun new ideas for football food and spirited orange and blue football spreads.  In my opinion, if it is something my tween loves and it makes him really happy…it makes me really happy.

So, whether you are a Gator or a Buckeye (Kelly Gump) have a wonderful football season with your tween.  Sport your team colors, let loose and let the good times roll.

And oh yes….”It’s Great To Be a FLORIDA GATOR”