''The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.'' -- Nietzsche
''I have no country to fight for. My country is the earth, and I am a citizen of the world.'' -- Eugene V. Debs
Making A Statement
May. 21, 2007
How do you explain to a two-year-old...
...that it is NOT cool to run shrieking around Auto Zone with a can of engine degreaser? How do you explain to a two-year-old that patience is important, because Momma needs to wait in line at the post office? How do you tell him to STOP kicking and screaming and dropping to the floor when I try to get him to walk with me, instead of gleefully running away from me, so he doesn't get abducted by Chester The Molester? These are all questions I am pondering today. The great mysteries of raising a toddler.
It has been a hellish day thus far. We went to the scrap yard first thing this morning. It took us an hour and a half by the time we drove into the metal room, unloaded the car, and waited in line for our $8.50 in aluminum money...because their computers were down, and they had to process everyone's scrap manually. Jake does NOT like to wait in line. He was bored, and when he gets bored, he gets very ANGRY. He was screaming his little balls off because we had to stand in one spot for a while. The unfortunate thing is, the way they have the scrap yard set up, once your car is in line, you can't leave. It is a one-way drive that you go into, with no room to turn around. Otherwise, I would have gone back tomorrow. So we waited as he pulled at me, tried to push other people's scrap carts, pushed MY scrap cart, shrieked, tried to climb me, asked to be picked up then writhed around in my arms the moment his feet left the ground, pulled my hair, and wiped a booger on my shirt. We finally got weighed out and paid, then we had to go to Auto Zone. At Auto Zone, he ran away from me, took off down an aisle with a can of engine degreaser, stood at the end of the aisle until I got to him, and took off again. Little dude is FAST! I finally caught up with him just as he tripped and smacked his face on the floor. Luckily, he wasn't hurt, but I told him, "That's what you get for running away from Momma." Then we had to go to the post office. He was pretty good there, but it's a small p.o. and I just let him wander a bit because I could see him the whole time. They have a table for kids with childrens' books, so of course he brought books to me and I read to him in line. I'm sure the other patrons enjoyed hearing "The Little Engine That Could."
After we got back, I let him run around outside for a while, but he kept trying to dart out into the parking lot (he saw his Daddy working on a tenant's door, so he wanted to chase him too), so back inside we went. I gave him some juice and put him down for a nap, and I must admit I want one myself. But there is much housecleaning to be done. I didn't do a **** thing all weekend and the apartment is in shambles.
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I believe in homeschooling from birth on. From the day my son was born, I've done everything I can to teach him about how the world works. Life is school. Learning is life.
