"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." - Angela Schwindt

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Lesson #6 - Going Once…Going Twice…SOLD!


Let me tell you, I didn’t realize I had a competitive side in me until this week. Izzy’s school had an on-line auction fundraiser. The auction item I decided to bid on was: Mrs. Adams Bedtime Story, which entails Izzy’s first grade teacher coming over to our house one night dressed in her pajamas (armed with cookies and milk) and reading bedtime stories to Izzy and any friend Izzy chose. The value of the item was priceless of course. I was the first to bid on it. I pretty much thought I had it in the bag since no one was bidding against me all week. That is until this past Monday, which was the last day to bid. Izzy kept asking me all week if we were winning. It was the only thing she had asked for from the long list of items. And with this being her last year at this school I was determined to get it for her because that’s what mommies do. We fight tooth and nails for our kids. Okay, so maybe that’s a little extreme for an auction item, but you get my point. So come Monday, when other people starting bidding for the same item, it became a bit of a frenzy. The bidding was ending at 9:00 pm and by 8:00 pm I was going back and forth with several other mommies (tooth and nails) determined to win it. By 8:30 I was at my max amount of what I wanted to spend on it. Nervous and distraught, I thought about how disappointed Izzy would be in the morning. And yes, I know she has to get used to disappointments sooner or later but she’s only 7. Her disappointments can come later. Besides, at last years auction, she only asked for one thing and I was unable to get it because of an egotistical father who was determined to beat me no matter the cost. But then that’s a whole other story. I wanted this year to be different. And the more I thought about it, as the minutes kept ticking closer to 9:00 pm, I realized some things truly are worth the extra effort. I knew it wasn’t an item that she would put in her room or play with to only get tired of it later and have it given away. It would be a very special moment, shared with her teacher she adores and her best friend, a moment she would remember years to come. And one thing I’ve learned is that life is about moments…moments that can never be taken away. So I sat back in my chair, rolled up my pajama sleeves, and with my iPad in hand started bidding until the final moment. And let me tell you, as happy as I was to be the winner there was no greater joy then Izzy waking up the next morning, me giving her the thumbs up (because that was the signal we decided on that evening if we won) and seeing her beautiful smile light up her eyes. Priceless…

Friday, April 6, 2012

Lesson #5 - Is Spring Break Over Yet?


Izzy and I usually travel during school breaks. Why? Because as the parent of an only child you soon realize that as much as you love your child you just don't want to be inundated with "Will you play with me?" or the dreaded "I'm bored," and "I don't know what to do." Don't ask me why but for some reason I didn't make any plans this year for Spring Break. And a break it has not been. I've been busy with trying to do work and also get my house ready to sell (you have no idea how many windows I have to clean, inside and out...I basically live in a glass house). And during all this Izzy, of course, wants my attention. And by the way, my daughter is not an electronic gadget type girl. Don't get me wrong, she's allowed to watch TV and she has a DS and her own iPad, but these things just don't interest her as much as wanting to play with someone Barbie , school, beauty salon or going to the restaurant and ice cream store she's put together. So needless to say, it's been a long week for the both of us, Izzy wanting to play with me and me trying to avoid it. But last night as I was putting Izzy to bed she looked at me and said, “I want to spend time with you before I go to bed.” As a parent you know your children will say or do just about anything to avoid going to bed so I thought it was just that.  But then I went back in my mind to think about how much time I actually spent with her this week. I looked at her and asked her what she wanted to do.  “Hopscotch Mama,” is what she said.  I smiled and said okay because the week did go by fast and I know one day she won’t be wanting to spend so much time with me.  And after I write this post, I will be taking the rest of the day off to spend it with Izzy doing what she loves best. So, no matter how hectic your day or week is...one cannot forget to set aside quality time with our children because lost time with our children is something we can never get back.