Parenting Cliff Notes

Good morning! I have two more papers to grade, then bam! I am done with formal classes until April. Does this mean what I think it means? Well, by jingo, it certainly does. It means that I now have a magazine to write and edit with interviews to conduct among other fun tasks. Ahhh...I laugh when people think all I do is stand in class and crack a few jokes. Hey, I am molding people's lives too. This is a pretty big responsibility....it's not brain surgery or working at NASA trying to land the space shuttle, but important....
 


Now I can focus my attention on traveling and the big kid. Tink is on cruise control, so all is well. I have not heard from him since Friday which can mean one or two things....someone has him preoccupied.....(nah)

He is studying like a fiend (...nah...)

He is hung over from the weekend of partying (...more like it...)

Yes, on Friday, when we spoke, I mentioned that in order to be a whole person, he had to focus on the body, mind, and spirit.  After all, we are more than our ability to throw a ball right? Click.

Sigh. He did not want to hear what I had to say...so...."Got to go and study...bye mom...."

What do I feel about this lack of consideration when I am pontificating? Well, I compare it to when I am teaching. I can see students text, cruise the internet, hit twitter, facebook, sleep, and order shoes. What makes him any different from my students? Nothing. He is the same age with the same inclinations. Therefore, what do I expect? Respect?

The question remains: can I turn off the lecture and just listen to what is in his heart and head? Upon reflection, I most certainly can. But, when I do that and listen, he is quiet and then asks for advice. When he asks for advice, I have to give it to him in the only way that I know how...in the form of a lecture. The advice has an introduction, body of comments, and conclusion. It can take a few minutes or longer. Yet, I can always tell when he checks out. Sadly, this is the way that I have operated for years.















Should I change? Can I? Perhaps as he finishes his degree, I can pull back and just give him the Cliff notes.

 



I have the following Cliff notes in my library should anyone want them:
1. Pick you up when you are down
2. Everyone does not hate you
3. You are not a loser
4. God does not make junk
5. Don't listen to what they say
6. The coach is an idiot
7. You have me in your corner
8. I am your biggest fan
9. You have to take care of your body, mind, and spirit
10. Nutrition is key to athletic success
11. Pray, hope, and don't worry
12: You did not cause it, cannot cure it, and therefore cannot control it
13. Dad is tired and working overtime
14. You will get your chance, just be patient
15. You can do this

And there you have it. I can patent or publish these cliff notes but I am sure that every friend and parent has these topics in their conversational repertoire. The key is to know when to pull them out.

I can also have them translated into Latin (since I had duo ano in high school) or Spanish (dos anos in la escuela) or they can watch the movie.  OK, I am rambling on, which means it is time to get back to work.

Have a great day!