A little laughter

So last week I was rattling off to my mother about why I was so tired and the usual came up: I have to keep telling MAC the same thing over and over again. Yes the first 2 (sometimes even 3) times I try to be polite and nice but by the 3rd, 4th, 5th time I am no longer in the mood to be nice. MAC likes to call me the "Mean Nasty Mommy" at that point. She tends to point out that I am not asking in a nice voice (like I tell her she should) and that I am not treating her the way that I want to be treated.

Mom said to me that I should remember that everything is better with a little laughter. I decided to try it and the next time I asked her to do something and she didn't listen I made a joke about it to her. She laughed and then actually listened to me.

Today we had another situation along those same lines. She needed to take her pills, do homework and read before she went to bed. When I told her this she ignored me. When I made a joke about it and what could happen she laughed and repeated back to me what she needed to do.

I guess Mom was right, a little laughter does go a long way.

Helping out

Once every three months I get to watch over the kids in the church nursery. Once every six months I get to teach "Kids Club". During these times I usually have MAC come and help me. She really likes to be around the younger children. This month we got to teach about the boy who fed the 5,000 with his lunch of 2 fishes and 5 loaves.

MAC actually went to Sunday School on her own today. I didn't have to remind her and she came out smiling and talking with two of the other girls. Next week she will be helping with Sunday School and making donuts to remind the kids about David and Goliath.

Today’s kids club went really well. I forget sometimes how good she is with the younger children. The kids loved her reading the story to them and she got them to answer questions about the story. They played hang man since the service went a little long, and they all loved looking at MACs drawing journal.

I was duly impressed when the boys started calling her "the weird girl" and she didn't get angry or get hurt feelings. She enjoyed showing the kids her drawings and they asked her to show them how she started them which she did. In two weeks we will be with the babies in the nursery.

Dinner and pencils

Today was another day off of school. It is one of those days where there were so many things she should have done and so many things that have gone undone. When I asked her what she had done today she told me that she had drawn in her journal, watched hulu, and drawn in her journal some more.

When I got home with all the girl scout cookies in the trunk of my car I asked the Fam if they knew what they wanted to do for dinner. We decided to go to Smokey Bones since MAC has really been craving ribs. She got a full rack of St. Louis ribs. "It was the best meal ever!"

We then took a quick run to Staples and Target. A few new .9 mechanical pencils and a new mini-pokemon later here we are back at home.

YEAH it's the weekend! Don't forget to turn your clocks back and hour when you go to bed tomorrow, change the batteries in your smoke detectors, and change the air filter in your furnace.

Singing Anyone?

Tonight was PoP Music and Senior choir night at church. PoP music started at 7:15 and around 8:05 I went to senior choir. When I arrived at church this evening the director of the senior choir pulled in next to me. She and I walked into the building together. She asked if MAC was still singing. When I said yes she asked if I thought that MAC might want to sing in the children's/senior choir pageant in December. I told her that I would be happy to talk to her but could not answer for her.

I love being able to get away for a little bit every week and play music. I get a little bit of time at work on Thursday's during lunch where I get to play lots of "oldies" music and then in the evenings I go play Christian music at church. Sometimes Hubby will come and practice at church, and a few times MAC came, but they don't come on a regular basis. I have asked MAC several times to come sing with PoP music but she says no every time.

When I got home this evening I did ask MAC if she would like to sing in the pageant. Surprisingly she did say yes!

Another meeting

This morning was another meeting with the school. The wonderful thing about Bates is that it is a "school of choice" for MAC. She had to audition to get in. She had to write an essay. She has one Saturday a month that she has to be at school. She has to take Italian. The bad thing is that since it is a school of choice she has to work to stay there.

She had an issue on the Saturday before we went to St. Louis. Today's meeting put her on "probationary status". She has several items which must get done to bring her back to "good standing" and we will have another meeting at the end of the quarter. If she has any more issues which bring her to the attention of the principal, she will be sent back to Crofton Middle.

She was in the meeting and has said that she understands the consequences of her behavior. She says that she knows she has different ways to handle different situations and that there are a lot of people willing to help her. She said that she plans to continue going to the Girls Group and will talk with the talk therapist. I truly hope that this is another one of those times when something bad will turn into something good.

Another day off

Another day off of school. Both Hubby and I are looking forward to tomorrow when we will no longer get those "wonderful" robocalls trying to tell us how to vote. MAC was really happy to be home and able to sleep in this morning. I thought being home meant that she would actually have to do some school work. Silly Mommy! Even though we have taken the cable away from the downstairs TV she has found that she can watch her favorite shows on the computer.

She did have a dental appointment today and Hubby took her. I tried to schedule it late in the afternoon so Hubby could get some sleep, it was a 2:30pm appointment. When I called at 2pm to make sure they were awake, I was surprised that they weren't!

Friday will be another day off, just for the middle school students. The middle school teachers have a special conference, I kind of hope that they will be discussing how to deal with bullying and how to be inclusive to all students. (Hey I can dream can't I?) MAC has been told that if she cleans her room she can invite a friend over on Friday, so far I haven't seen much movement of the items off her floor!

This morning

This morning Hubby woke up MAC and she jumped out of bed, taken a shower, got dressed, and had taken her pills in under 30 minutes. I told them both that I didn't understand why when I wake her up she always takes her time and refuses to wear any of the clothes I ask her to. 

I was told that it was because Hubby went to her room, and sat on her bed to wake her up, not yelling from another room. I told MAC that I would be happy to go in and sit on her bed to wake her up but she told me in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed in her room. I am trying to "honor her request" but she does need to get up so that she can get to the bus.

I know that there are going to be "those days". One day we'll look back at all of this and laugh. I can only wish that she recieves the mothers curse, "To have a child just like her!"