Homecoming Dance Update

We successfully found a beautiful dress in record time. . . I should have known that trouble was brewing. The principal of the high school called to Friday around lunchtime to get emergency numbers and confirm that DD was "enrolled in high school". . . I should have never called back! I should have been a rotten mom and not tried to make sure that they had emergency information, but whoops, my rule abiding side made me call. . . what a mistake.

After two calls with the principal and one with the vice principal, DD was banned from the dance. She was 13 and not "enrolled" in their school. At first it was just her age, but when I challenged them that they would have 13 year olds in attendance i.e. Freshman with birthdays in November and December, they then added the phrase "and enrolled in their school". I've got to tell you as a person who pays my taxes in this district but does not use the school system, this answer burned my butt!

So she was super beautiful with nowhere to go, but she handled it like a champ. Even I would have to admit that at her age, I would have slammed the door, flooped on my bed, and cried. She put her earings, necklace, and heals on and danced to music downstairs. She even encouraged her "date" to go without her. As she said, this was his first homecoming and he should make sure that he went.

What did we learn out of the deal:
- she is taller than me when she wears heals.
- we emphasized the reason that we homeschool . . . the ability to make decision on an individual basis and not by "policy"
- that DD really is growing up not just physically but in maturity too
- Mom's kisses can't make everything better anymore

Are you 2?

I am beginning to see huge similarities between two year olds and thirteen year olds, especially as it relates to independence and temperament. Remember when they were two and you incessantly heard “No. Me Do!” The words may be slightly different now, but the defiance is the same. And while the tantrum may not be on the floor, the rolling of the eyes and the slamming of doors sure sends the same message. On the positive side, Moms, this means we’ve been through this stage before. We survived it once, we can do it again.

My greatest reassurance lately comes from SuperNanny and Nanny 911 as they give mothers of two year olds advice. I have taken to watching the show even though my children are well older than most of the children they work with. Their advice to remain calm cannot be reiterated enough. Also, if the kids watch it with me, they are old enough to see how foolish the behaviors appear. I personally get a good laugh when they comment how silly a child looks when they XYZ which is exactly the same behavior my children had showed 15 minutes earlier.

Of course, I am not faultless. The other thing that this show reminds me is that I need to spend more time with the children. Time to shut off the tv, close out the computer, and do something with the kids.