But we finally changed our work and school day stripes and hit the road.

 At times on our summer trip it seemed like we traveled to a galaxy far far away.

By now I figure you’ve realized without having to read tea leaves where we visited on vacation.

And of course after a trip to Disneyworld..well… I’ll have what he’s having.

 

As I was reveling in the prospect of a more relaxed schedule I was reminded that there’s summer band, weight lifting, conditioning, and all the laundry to be done before we can go on our vacation trip. Relaxed apparently is just a state of mind and not an actual condition of family life. Is it that way at your house? 

Oh and did I mention there’s a mole running around in my backyard. The minute we think we know where he’s digging a new tunnel forms! So are lives have turned into some sort of Looney Tunes Cartoon where the mole is constantly outsmarting us and foiling our plans. Look. Evidence.

And two quick thank yous to pass along; THANK YOU to the Bedford Junior High for inviting me to speak at 8th Grade Recognition this year. I was honored to be there and so impressed by the accomplishments of the kids. Also THANK YOU to all the people who continue to visit this blog even though I’m so sporadic with posting.

So welcome to summer I’d appreciate any advice on this mole situation and also what are your plans for vacation?

I hope you get a chance to relax.. even if it is just a state of mind.

And just to prove we’re two people. Here’s me introducing Rep. Kathy Angerer who spoke along with Senator Randy Richardville. I joked that since both Kathy and I were there at the same time it would put to rest the rumor that we are the same person. (I didn’t take a pic of Richardville, because usually no one mistakes he and I for one another. )

Great job Bedford and thank you Relay for Life for including me in one of the most inspiring community events in the world! And also thank you for suffering through my silly jokes. (see above)

Congratulations on a wonderful 2008 Relay for Life.

But no matter where we go one of my children will always find the chicken tenders on the meal. It is that kid’s go to order. We could be dining in the finest Italian, Greek, French or Mexican restaurant and the child will ferret out the chicken tenders.

I try to nudge the Chicken Tender King toward something new when we dine out. When in Epcot do like the Epcotians do! The chefs know their international cuisine. I enjoy pushing myself away from old food favorites and I ask what the waiter/waitress recommends. I’ve never been lead astray.

But there’s still the Chicken Tender King. After a day at the park The Chicken Tender King had walked for hours, patiently stood in line, and had laughed ot the point of crying on a ride called Star Tours. It was time for dinner.

The Chicken Tender King was cooked, pretty tired. This was a tired born of great fun , but the kind that could lead to tears and tantrums. You know the drill. You can see when your kid is nearly as fried as the items on the menu. Respect that.

When it was The Chicken Tender King’s turn to order we didn’t protest the selection of chicken tenders. Normally we would nudge a little. But we gave in. Why? Were we allowing the kid to run all over us? No. It’s just a little bit of comfort after a day of adventure can be just the ticket. Really, on vacation why argue over dinner? Save that for Christmas. The rest of the year you can make the case for variety, healthy choices, vegetables, but at a late night Disney dinner, whatever floats your Steamboat Willy.

If you can get the kids or grandparents to get wild in their food choices at some of the restaurants I guarantee you’ll be satisfied. But if someone really just wants a little familiar taste of home, by all means, chicken tenders, macaroni and chees and yes peanut butter and jelly are on the menu of just about every Disney restaurant.

It is after all the land of The Lion King which is the perfect habitat for your little Chicken Tender King to rule over his dinner feast.

As an adult I am reasonably awful at math but that wasn’t always the case. I took honors math all the way through 10th grade. But when I finished the math requirement I was out of there.. no more math for me. Back then I HATED story problems or word problems. I could do the standard abstract math fine and then they’d ask me to calculate when the train was going to ram into the station or how many orange slices the train could cut an apple into and I’d be stumped.

The theory used to be that the “real world” applications of cutting an apple in half and giving it to 3/4 of a person would help you learn math concepts. But it was fine, I graduated high school and college and my story problem days were over. Plus I’m a journalist, no math to worry about whatsoever careerwise this was a smart move for me: math-free journalism.

Then of course the minute you think you’re free of story problems you become a parent of a fourth grade child who needs help with the math homework. My husband took that area of parenting over after he saw me grab chunks of my hair and yell “IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE TRAIN IS SUPPOSE TO LEAVE AND ARRIVE AT THE STATION GET A SCHEDULE AND LOOK IT UP MRS. CRABAPPLE!!!” I was yelling this to an innocent worksheet mind you.

Now according to the New York Times article and researchers at Ohio State it turns out the theory of using real world applications is just that, a theory. People thought it would help you learn math. They didn’t have proof of this when they inserted it into math curriculums back in the free-wheeling 1960s.  And after some research… it doesn’t! Recent data shows story problems just confuse the issue. Researcher found that kids are sitting in class pondering what color the trains are and forgetting how to do the actual math.

The study even says the benefits of things like “manipulatives” are also un tested when it comes to teaching the smallest kids begining math. Again, didn’t you already suspect this when you had a kid in first grade?

One of my kids spent the entire first grade stacking little blocks and then drawing them and then coloring them. We called it “art math.” This was all in an effort to learn addition.  On one test the teacher asked the students to explain how they arrived at the answer to the problem 8-2=6.  My child responded, “My brain told me it was the right answer.” Although the math problem was answered correctly the kid only received half credit because the explaination was deemed wrong.

And teachers I’m not criticizing you! These were and are the accepted theories and a teacher  has to do SO MUCH when it comes to helping a kid get math. Any person who has the patience to spend hours and hours with 9 year olds and can inspire them succeed in math has my admiration. Most of the teachers we have encountered are real heroes to me and the kids. I couldn’t do it.  So remember it’s not the teachers I’m kvetching about here, it’s the story problems and manipulatives. We just don’t get along.

The study doesn’t say get rid of story problems or “manipulatives” when it comes to learning it just says there isn’t any real research to suggest those actually help teach math. Cleary the study comes too late for my children and me but maybe if I’m lucky enough to become a grandparent I won’t have to help the little tykes figure out how to cut appples with a train that leaves the station traveling at 45 mph.

And by the way just a hello from the AWOL me. I am working a different schedule to fill in for Kristian Brown during her maternity leave. This is leaving me less time to blog but I do appreciate people checking in here as I juggle this little change.

I have many positive things to say about shift work especially when it comes to family life. When I started in news I worked night-side. That’s from 2:30 p.m. until after the 11 o’clock news. My kids were little then and it was great to be home until two in the afternoon. I only needed 4 hours of babysitting since the hubby worked a regular daytime schedule and got home in the evening. Essentially we both had full time jobs and only had to pay half time of childcare. Later I worked the weekend shift. That gave me two week days off.  Again, it was nice because my husband was home the weekends so my kids had 4 days straight of at least one parent  home.

This morning shift came at the right time in my life as my kids afterschool actitivies keep us going each afternoon and I’m available to do whatever they need from homework help (except math) to cheering in the stands. I get just under 5 hours of sleep a night but no worries, I catch up on Friday nights. Except…

Before I continue I will tell you that I enjoy flipping through decorating magazines. Not that my house is decorated in any sort of style at all but I like looking at the home decor magazines. So when I have a few minutes to wait, say in the parking lot as the kids are finishing up whatever they’re doing or on a Saturday night after go-go-going all day, I enjoy looking at the magazines.

I am talking about shift work and home decor magazines because of this. 

I’ve purchased this magazine twice. Same issue. Something looked vaguely familiar. Oh well, I thought no big deal, I’ll just recycle one. (That’s why you’re only seeing the one in the picture.)

Then I did this:

 I’ve purchased this same magazine 3 TIMES. (I threw one out because I scared myself when I discovered I’d bought it repeatedly.) Either I love Renovation Style Magazine so much that I can’t wait for the next issue or maybe I just love this fireplace mantel. But the more likely scenario is my short term memory is Swiss Cheesy. Big holes in it.

So shift work appears to be good for my family life but it appears it be REALLY good for these two magazine publishers. What was I saying again? I forget.

            Fortunately my parents offer of enjoying the park while I marched through it snapped me out of The Plan. I realized that we were on vacation and we could could ALL wait for Eeyore. I sat and watched as Eeyore lumbered our way. Eeyore as you know is not speedy. though I had resigned to stay I still wasn’t “in the moment” yet. I was suffering through the delay versus anticipating a lovely experience with a donky. I’m sure my tense face and body language conveyed this. I probably looked as morose as the despondent donky form the 100 Acre Wood.

In good time Eeyore arrived. My kids hugged him. I snapped the shots and then, okay, let’s move on, Eeyore had other plans. He decided I was in need of some quality donkey time. Eeyore finished with the children and put an arm? Hoof? on me. I’ll go with fuzzy hoof on my shoulder. I smiled.  But that wasn’t enough.  Eeyore wasn’t leaving until I had some fun.

Eeyore ruffled my have and pushed me around in my chair. And I started to laugh.. really laugh.. double chinned don’t care if you look good in pictures… look at my fillings guffaw. That’s what happens when a donkey appears to be trying to kill you! It was just the kick I needed. This was no longer polite acceptance of my vacation detour. Eeyore helped me appreciate the walk to the attraction just as much as the attraction. Magic Moments happen when you use The Plan as a guide, not a bible.

Yes, Eeyore tried to smother me in the middle of the Crystal Palace. My kids were rolling on the floor laughing at the sight of me struggling against an attack donkey determined to push me out of my chair.

Of the entire day’s checklist I remember the Eeyore attack. It wasn’t on The Plan and I couldn’t tell you what else was on The Plan. Eeyore showed me how I’d been a real donkey.

So kick the plan. Just a little.