Keeping it real

So i will never win "parent of the year" award.

The day went as usually. Putting out the small fires at work. Chasing people around making sure they are doing what they should be doing. Then trying to play referee to not only staff but to siblings at camp. It is interesting to see kids come and go through the program and see that they are a product of their environment. Sometimes i wonder what is their environment like?

So there i was sitting on the porch trying to talk this poor kid "out of a tree". I was giving her the inner strength speech. You know the one....you need to find that inner strength to get through this. Telling her that everything was going to be alright. Knowing in the back of my mind it is 405pm and i needed to get this kid changed and on SABINO before 420pm as the boat was not waiting for us. The speech has got to work! Kid is whining. She's tired. Come on find your inner strength. Tick Tock. Tick Tock

Cell phone rings..... saved by the bell.

It is the YMCA, Nathaniel has gotten hurt. Yikes! I have to say i am not the type of parent to freak out that my kid is hurt. Kids are kids. they play hard and they will get hurt. I get it. Plus my mom was a nurse, so we all had to be half dead before she would take us to the doctor.

(come on i broke both my ankles one night called my mom and said i am hurt. she said put some ice on it you will be fine. yeah two broken feet later and a call to dad.)

She goes on to tell me he was hit in the face by his eye. Not really sure what she was saying.... she did not sound like she had any panic in her voice and i was watching the clock.....SABINO was leaving in 10 min...

SO i asked the important questions...Is he upset? I could hear her ask him, he says no....then i ask is he bleeding...nope. I then asked if they were putting ice on it and could they wait 15min. She said sure, she just wanted me to know before i got there. I told her to ask him about what happened to Jordan when we went hiking and I will be there soon. (jordan was running down the trail, 3 miles on top of a mountain, did a face plant into the tree, HUGE black eye. It was AWFUL it took over 2 weeks for it to fade)

Tick Tock. Kid takes the inner strength speech...Kid changes, got her on the SABINO. Phew. Camp is tough for some kids and for some adults.

Now off to pick up the kids. Nathaniel is surrounded by about three or four female instructors. He had an ice pack on his forehead. Yup he got hit and he had an egg on his forehead. He seemed fine. he ditched the ice pack jumped into the car and off we went. We all talked about the day as I went to drop off twins at my dad's office.

We pull in to the office he starts to cry. It hurts. It hurts.

WHAT? you were fine the whole way.

My dad takes one look, your fine. My dads secretary, who i might add was my babysitter when i was a kid was Shocked. should he go to the hospital? Is he okay?

What?

the kid got a bump on the head.... he is fine.

kids bounce.

He finds his way to the computer game and is fine.

I kiss the twins good bye. say "Peace out see you tomorrow"

Nathaniel says without skipping a beat..."keep it real Mommy"

Awwww....he's seven. Love it.

Sometimes I wonder if I am to laid back. I wonder if i should be more concerned when they get hurt. I wonder where that damn manual is, you know the one i am talking about.... the one they are suppose to give you at the hospital. I am sure it would tell me what to do... what to say and how to raise these boys.this is a tough job...Until i find it i will do my best. and i will remember what Augusten Burroughs said, "I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."