Category Archives: reflections

Strength 

Acceptance, Attitude, challenge, character building, feelings, inspiring, life, Life lesson, Life quotes, Motivation, motivational, reflections, Wise, Wise words

  

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I did it!!! 

ball, challenge, character building, children, Competition, End of the season, kids, parent category, reflections, Teenage boy, Teenage sons, teenagers, Training session

Well I did it!! I managed to get through a whole season as basketball coach!! My job is not quite finished our final game is on Saturday, but tonight was the final training session, and we had a fun filled hour and a half!!
Looking back I have to say that the season did not come without its share of challenges, but the positives have out weighed any negatives by far!!

I know that I will look back on my time as coach fondly and will treasure the memories that I have shared with my son and his friends. 
There is a certain amount of pride and sense of self accomplishment that I can’t help feeling, that I’m sure will stay with me for a long while. 

Words parents should never use 

adolescence, children, Forbidden words, kids, life, Life lesson, Mothers, Old parents, Older parents, parent category, reflections, Teenage boy, Teenage sons, teenagers, tips, Warning

So turns out I am too old to use certain words – who would have thought?? But according to my teenage son – who by the way knows absolutely everything – there are just some words that old parents such as myself should never use because and I quote “they are young words and you are old”
These words include : Hectic, Cool, Dude and Dog – what the??
Apparently all these words and many others, do not mean the same thing to teenagers that they mean to us old or older folk!! 

It’s hard because on the outside I may not look like a teenager anymore but somewhere deep inside I still remember what it was like being one and at times I even feel like I did when I was one. Thank goodness I now have teenagers to remind me that my young days are long gone!! 

The last time

blessed, children, family, feelings, Happiness is, kids, life, love, Melancholy, Mothers, parent category, reflections, The Last time

  
I was reminded of this beautiful poem today when I hugged and kissed my son at soccer. He had been to a sleepover at his friends since Friday night (first time he has stayed somewhere else for two nights – aside from the grandparents or school camp) and I had missed him so much. It occurred to me that this would probably be the last time that he would want me to hug and kiss him in public – he is growing up quickly, at his age, his brother would have been horrified at that sort of public display in front of his friends – that’s why I guess I’m feeling a little melancholy.

The last time 

From the moment you hold your baby in your arms, 

you will never be the same.

You might long for the person you were before, 

When you have freedom and time,

And nothing in particular to worry about.

You will know tiredness like you never knew it before,

And days will run into days that are exactly the same,

Full of feedings and burping,

Nappy changes and crying,

Whining and fighting,

Naps or a lack of naps,

It might seem like a never-ending cycle.
But don’t forget …

There is a last time for everything.

There will come a time when you will feed

your baby for the very last time.

They will fall asleep on you after a long day

And it will be the last time you ever hold your sleeping child.
One day you will carry them on your hip then set them down,

And never pick them up that way again.

You will scrub their hair in the bath one night

And from that day on they will want to bathe alone.

They will hold your hand to cross the road,

Then never reach for it again.

They will creep into your room at midnight for cuddles,

And it will be the last night you ever wake to this.
One afternoon you will sing “the wheels on the bus”

and do all the actions,

Then never sing them that song again.

They will kiss you goodbye at the school gate,

The next day they will ask to walk to the gate alone.

You will read a final bedtime story and wipe your last dirty face.

They will run to you with arms raised for the very last time.
The thing is, you won’t even know it’s the last time

Until there are no more times.

And even then, it will take you a while to realise.
So while you are living in these times,

remember there are only so many of them

and when they are gone, you will yearn for just one more day of them.

For one last time.
-Author Unknown-

Getting the message through. Not!!

challenge, children, Fears, feelings, kids, life, Life lesson, parent category, Parent/teacher interview, reflections, Reports, Teenage boy, Teenage sons, teenagers

Parent /teacher interviews again today, feels like it was only last month when I last caught up with the kids teachers and blogged about it. 

Fortunately Harry’s report and teachers feedback was excellent. Unfortunately George’s report was not so great, but the feedback from the teachers was definitely not as disheartening as I was expecting. Madelyn’s report and parent/teacher interviews are yet to come. 
I have really struggled with getting the message of how important school really is, across to George. I don’t know how else to say it or what else to do to get through to him.  

I know he is disappointed with his grades as much as we are, and at the moment he is really committed to trying harder to improve his marks but I can’t help thinking that this newly found commitment on his part is not going to last, and that worries me so much.

Tonight I will take solace in the fact that after speaking with the teachers it doesn’t look as bad for him as what the report suggested.