Words I never thought I'd say

"Stop reading that book."

"Stop writing that story."

"Stop doing those math problems."

Okay, admittedly, I don't get to say that last one very often, but I have uttered it.  It sometimes seems crazy to make children stop doing something that adults spend so much time and effort getting children to do.  I suppose I should take comfort in the fact that I have not made these activities so onerous that my children do not enjoy them.  But... if I didn't stop them and make them focus on other things once in a while (sweeping, putting away clothes, picking up Legos, etc.)  we would drown in a sea of mess and probably make it onto the evening news.  I just can't (and frankly don't want to) keep up with the disaster which follows in my children's wake all by myself.

So, firm in my opinion that hard work is just as healthy for my children as reading and writing, I will now go utter those above mentioned words.  Again.  And maybe by the end of the day we can be living in a house where one can walk across the floor without kicking things out of the way and one which I don't have to apologize for to anyone who happens to visit.

Comments

Julie on an adventure said…
Hm, this post was intruiging to me (who once was a dreamer and a writer - still am - and probably had to be told many times to get up and do that work you describe as a child!) It's interesting to get your perspective.
7/11/2011 3:12 PM
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