I'm Not Crazy - or - The Difference a Teacher Can Make

School last year was a nightmare for Big Boy #1.

For some unknown reason, it seemed that BB1's third grade teacher was intent to prove that he was nothing special - and he absolutely absorbed her message. BB1 is normally a strong, confident student. But last year he would say things like "I read like a baby!" or "I hate school!" or "I'm stupid!" Her evaluations seemed rigid and when she assessed him her results always seemed off to me. It was enough to make me doubt my own observations. Was I crazy?

When he wasn't putting himself down, he was raging at home. It was like it took everything he had to hold it together in school, and once he got home he would let it all go. I would look at him and think "Something is NOT right!" It was beyond frustrating for me and had brought me to tears on multiple occasions. I was worried. Seriously worried.

Diamond kept saying; "Let's wait to see what happens next year, with a different teacher."

Oh what a difference a teacher can make!!!

This year BB1 comes home all kinds of chatty about school. He's never been one to talk about what he did in school, but he's so excited about what they have been doing that he can't help himself. He thinks about what he is learning outside of school, piping up with random things like "Did you know that the state flower is a Columbine? Isn't that COOL?" I'm not sure what this teacher is doing right, but, WOW! He is back to liking school, liking learning, and most of all, liking himself.

At home, he is a different kid. The meltdowns have all but disappeared. The bitterness, the defensiveness, the hostility - all back to reasonable amounts. I can't say he is perfect, but he has returned to the helpful, fun kid that I used to know. It's like I can breathe again.

So maybe I'm not crazy after all!

Lessons from my Mother-in-Law

We had the great pleasure of having Diamond's parents in town over the weekend. As the mother of three boys, I have taken mental notes of how to be a mother-in-law from Diamond's mom. Here's what I've learned so far:

Learn how to play the "Brush Your Teeth" song on the piano. It's always a crowd pleaser.

Buy them ice-cream, Sonic slushies and pizza. (Grandpa sure helped out on this one!)

Happily walk to the grandkids school and "oh" and "ah" over how cool their classrooms are.

And have a great relationship with your daughter-in-law. It seems that every time we see Diamond's parents, Ann takes the time to pull me aside and tell me that she thinks I am doing a great job raising our boys. (And she does that with a straight face!) Her sincere compliments always mean so much to me. She is supportive and loving to me as a person, as a mother, and as her daughter-in-law.

I sometimes worry that my future daughter-in-laws will find me thoroughly aggravating. However, if I can manage to follow Ann's example, I think I might actually do alright.

Any Ideas?

With all the volatility in the stock market this past week, I'm tempted to pull our money and just put it in the bank.

Wait. No. The banks are failing. Um, let's see.

Maybe we should just cash out and hide $20 bills throughout the house. Diamond's grandma hid $20 bills between each piece of her china during the Great Depression. (It was a major score for my mother-in-law who inherited the family china!)

Wait. Didn't I just hear that the government is printing more cash, which means inflation? Well, that idea doesn't seem particularly secure either.

Anyone have any better ideas?

An Only Child?

While I was holding the Caboose, Big Boy #1 came over and started cuddling up to me.

"No! MY Mommy!"

Um, hate to break it to your Caboose, but you've got no monopoly on that one.